Birthday Gift Wrap
by VampLover1
Summary: It's July 1st, Sookie's birthday, and Niall has arranged a special magical gift for her. But is it the kind of present she should really keep? Eric seems to have the answer. Takes place after DAG. Spoilers for short story "Gift Wrap."
1. Chapter 1

**Birthday Gift Wrap**

Saturday, July 1, 2006 -- my 28th birthday

The bright summer sun was peeking around my bedroom curtains, waking me earlier this morning than I had intended. I was too happy, though, to care. It was my first full weekend off in ages - a thoughtful birthday gift from Sam - and one I greatly appreciated. I bounced out of bed, cheerful and excited about the prospect of the wonderful day ahead. Amelia, Tara, and I had scheduled a girls' spa session, complete with facial, massage, manicure and pedicure. There would still be time to sunbathe this morning before our long afternoon of pampering, and Eric had promised me 'a sinful birthday evening to remember,' to quote my vampire. Yum.

Besides the pleasant agenda before me, I had been looking forward to this birthday for several other reasons. First, I was finally healed, both physically and mentally, from the traumatic events of six months earlier. I was ready to put my fairy heritage behind me and all of the pain that my connection to the fairy world had brought me. Secondly, Eric and I had finally reached a definite comfort level in our relationship. We were still blood-bonded and pledged, which brought its own set of problems and frustrations at times. However, I had never felt more secure and passionate about my feelings for Eric. I was finally in a 'good place' in my life, and I was ready to celebrate.

I followed the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and found myself in the kitchen with Amelia.

"Good morning, birthday girl!" she chirped and I had to agree with her sentiment.

"Morning," I replied, grabbing a mug and pouring myself some coffee. "You're up early for a Saturday," I added.

"Couldn't sleep, and the sunshine today was too beautiful to ignore," she said as she took a sip from her own cup. "Are you ready for a great day and an even better _night_?" she teased. "Any clue what Eric has planned for you two?"

"Probably nothing I can tell you about tomorrow without blushing," I said hopefully.

She smiled and then we both giggled like silly teenagers. It was a relief to see Amelia back to herself again. It had been a long recovery since Tray Dawson's death, and she deserved some pampering and TLC of her own.

There was a sharp knock at the door and we both looked at each other, surprised.

"You expecting anyone, Sook?" she asked.

I shook my head and Amelia said, "Maybe it's some birthday flowers for you from Eric!" and she bounded to the hallway.

I eagerly followed behind, only to find her opening the front door to reveal my fairy-stripper-cousin Claude. He stood perfectly still, like a brown-eyed Renaissance statue, his beautiful black hair rippling as his large frame filled the doorway.

I was surprised to see him, as this was only the second time we'd done so since the Fairy War. But seeing each other reminded us of Claudine, and her death was still too painful to accept. Claude had chosen to remain here when Niall permanently blocked passage between our worlds. My fairy cousin would never able to return to the fae realm, a decision that must have been a difficult one for him.

"Happy birthday, Sookie," he said in a totally aloof manner. We had never been close before but at least Claudine had brought out the best in us towards each other. That was gone now, too.

"I have something for you," he said. His expression was sullen, a typical one for him.

"Um, thank you," I stammered. "I didn't think you'd know… I mean, you didn't have to," I added, trying to conceal my shock and surprise.

"May I come in?" he asked pointedly, as if I was the rudest hostess in the world. Amelia looked to me questioningly and we both stepped back to allow him entrance.

"Of course," I replied. "It's good to see you again, Claude," I said, now the perfect model of composure.

He nodded to both Amelia and myself and strode past us to the living room. I noticed he was carrying a buff-colored envelope and a small, beautifully wrapped box.

"I can't stay long, I have to be at a photo shoot," my cousin informed us. He was dressed in running shoes, nylon shorts and a tight tank top which accented his perfect abs. I wondered if the photo session was for the Olympics—he certainly resembled a god-like athlete in form.

"Before the passage to my world was closed, Niall left this with me. He gave me strict instructions to present this to you on your birthday as a special gift from him."

He thrust the envelope and box into my hands. Before I could ask him anything, he looked into my eyes and said, "No, I don't know what it is and I don't want to know, either."

"Um, okay," I replied, unsure of what else to say at this point.

After a few minutes of making small talk (a skill which Claude greatly lacked), he left. Amelia and I quickly moved into the kitchen, curious and eager to investigate Niall's gift. We sat at the table with the box and letter between us.

I examined the heavy paper of the beautiful envelope, noticing it was sealed with wax. There was a familiar unicorn head imprint in the wax, the same as on my last written correspondence from Niall. Amelia had also been here when that previous letter had arrived, so she realized its magical importance.

"Well, open it!" she said excitedly. "It must be something wonderful he wanted you to have!"

I couldn't decide whether to open the delicate box or the delicate envelope first, but I decided on the latter. My hands trembled a little as I broke the wax seal and pulled out a card covered with beautiful flowing script. My voice shook as I read the words left behind by my great-grandfather:

_My dear child,_

_Please accept this most special gift in honor of your birthday._

_It is a Kailenian crystal, a most powerful gemstone found only _

_within my world. Treasure it always, as only those with Fae blood_

_may benefit from its unique magic. Please know that I regret any grief _

_I may have brought you, dear heart. I only wished to get to know you _

_better and to be able to do more for you during our time together in _

_your world. This crystal is all I have left to give you, my child. _

_The vampire will know about its power and can guide you._

_Remember that I do love you, Sookie._

_Niall_

I started to cry a little, his words and the sincerity behind them making me miss him all the more. It was unfair that I would never have the chance to see or speak with him again.

Amelia looked a little surprised by my reaction but she tried to reassure me. I caught a glimpse of the thoughts she was broadcasting and she wanted me to open the present already.

I turned to the little box sitting on the table. It was wrapped with a beautifully ornate gold paper that would have made wonderful wallpaper in a castle bathroom. A delicate ribbon and elaborate gold silk bow finished it off, making it just too pretty to open. It seemed like the proper packaging for a magic fairy crystal, though.

"Well?" Amelia urged and I gingerly removed the bow and untied the ribbon and wrapping. Inside the box lay a shimmering, whitish-blue stone about the size of a walnut. I carefully lifted it and placed it in my open palm as we both marveled at its many facets, beauty and sparkle.

"Does it _feel_ magical?" Amelia asked. "I wonder what it can do."

"No, it just feels like a pretty gemstone in my hand," and I clasped my fingers around the crystal, making a fist.

That's when I felt it. Tiny sparks shot out from within my palm and I was so surprised by the sensation that I almost dropped the crystal. But I kept a tight grasp and my eyes closed instinctively. Images flashed before me and then they slowed down. I saw a playground and children laughing and running around in circles. I could see myself, not looking much older, standing in front of the swings, pushing a little blonde-haired boy higher and higher. He was laughing and smiling and when he looked back at me, his eyes and face were my own. It had to be my son.

"Sookie? Are you okay?" Amelia asked, rousing me. "You were shaking as though you were being electrocuted by that crystal!"

I opened my eyes and opened my palm, quickly dropping the stone on the kitchen table. I sat down, too stunned to say anything for a moment.

"Sookie? What happened? Are you alright?" Amelia sounded worried.

I looked back at her in shock. "I think I just glimpsed my future."


	2. Chapter 2

"_Sookie? What happened? Are you alright?" Amelia sounded worried._

_I looked back at her in shock. "I think I just glimpsed my future."_

**Chapter 2**

"What do you mean? You had a vision or something?" Amelia asked.

"I mean, I just saw my future in my head. There was a playground, and a little boy that was my son, and I was pushing a swing and..." It was a little unsettling, to be honest.

"My god, what kind of gift has Niall given you?" Amelia asked, stunned.

I picked up the crystal again, cautiously gripping it between my fingers, and we both looked at it, unsure of its full potential. Just holding it gave me a strange feeling, though -- almost like I didn't want to put it down.

"The letter said that Eric would know how to use it, right? How come?" Amelia wondered.

My thoughts exactly. Why would Eric know anything about magic fairy crystals? Wasn't it 'beneath' him to concern himself with fairy matters? Yet Niall did say that 'the vampire' could guide me.

"I have no idea but I certainly plan on asking him tonight," I said. "I wonder if the crystal would show me something different if I tried using it another time..."

"I don't know, Sookie. I don't think it's such a great idea to mess with the future. _I_ wouldn't want to know what's coming," she said.

"Why not? I think it would be a relief to know how things work out and what to expect down the road. You could be better prepared for it," I said, trying to fully convince myself. Since I can already read people's thoughts, I am used to knowing some things ahead of time. So the idea didn't seem as terrible to me as it did to Amelia.

"No, Sookie. It would be a bad thing. Think about it. What if you knew how you were going to die in the future and when… how could you live day to day with that knowledge?" She bristled at the thought.

"Well then, I would try to make the most of my time here. _Carpe diem_ and all that stuff. Or better yet, maybe I could change things somehow so that it wouldn't have to happen that way at all," I added.

"No, no, no! How can you be sure what you're seeing is the _absolute_ future and not just some _possibility_ of a future, huh? The whole thing sounds tricky to me, Sookie. Wait for Eric's advice," she warned.

Why did I need to wait for Eric? My great-grandfather would never try to harm or trick me with a gift, I thought to myself. He loves me.

"Did you ever have to read _Macbeth_ in high school?" Amelia asked me, out of the blue. I shook my head no. The obligatory _Romeo & Juliet_ and _Hamlet_ were the extent of my Shakespearian background.

"Well, there are these three witches in the play. I love stories that have witches in them, although these are bad witches. Anyway, Macbeth is told some prophecies by the witches and the predictions all come true, but not in the ways Macbeth imagines. He's tricked into his own downfall by misreading the future. This crystal sort of seems like the same thing, Sookie. How do you know that the little boy you saw is your child, anyway? Maybe you're his nanny in the future."

"Because he looked like me," I answered. And it _felt_ like he was family, somehow.

"So who was the father, then?" she asked.

Ah… the million dollar question. Part of me was afraid of finding out the answer, since I knew vampires couldn't impregnate humans -- at least not at this point in time. My curiosity was stronger than my fear, however; I really wanted to know how the crystal worked and I really wanted to try using it again, to see more.

"I don't know, but I aim to find out," I said, as I closed my eyes and wrapped my fingers around the crystal, like before.

"Sookie, don't!" Amelia cried and I opened my eyes again. "Please wait until you talk to Eric tonight so that you know what you're doing, okay? I have a bad feeling about this."

"It will be fine, Amelia. Don't worry," I replied, closing my eyes once more.

Just then the doorbell rang for the second time this morning. Saved by the bell -- literally. I sighed as I placed the crystal down and headed for the door, hoping it wasn't Claude returning with another fairy surprise. I didn't think I could take it. An overnight courier stood outside my front door with a large flat box addressed to me, return address: Fangtasia. I signed for the package and hurried back to the kitchen with my new delivery.

"From Eric, I assume?" Amelia asked and I nodded. She just smiled and brought me scissors to open the package. She seemed relieved to have averted the crystal situation.

Inside the box, a single red rose rested on top of some decorative tissue paper. The flower was beautiful and its scent was heavenly. I lifted the rose and gently parted the paper below it. A handwritten note caught my attention and my libido did flips when I recognized Eric's elegant writing. I read the note to myself first, just in case Eric had decided to add in something inappropriate for my roommate's ears.

_Lover- _

_My best wishes for a most wonderful and happy birthday._

_I will pick you up for dinner tonight at 9:00 PM sharp._

_It would please me greatly to have you wear the _

_enclosed dress and shoes, and NOTHING else._

_Prepare to be swept off your feet…_

_E._

The box contained a stunning cranberry-red cocktail dress with a plunging neckline. I knew before I even tried it on that it would fit like it was custom tailored for my body. The matching shoes were just as lovely, with heels high enough to make walking a challenge. I would _need_ to be swept off my feet because I sure wouldn't be able to use them gracefully in these shoes.

"Pretty, pretty," Amelia murmured as she touched the dress and shoes. "And sexy as hell. Eric is going to eat you up tonight," she said teasingly. I sure hoped that Eric had put that on this evening's agenda.

"I think I'll go see how it looks," I said, gathering all of my gifts, the crystal included. I headed to my bedroom, ready for some space and privacy, tired of hearing Amelia's tales of woe and worry about Niall's birthday gift. I carefully hung up the dress over my bedroom door and then stared at the mysterious crystal I had placed on my dresser. The blue-white gemstone was beautiful but hardly seemed 'magical' as it rested on my old pine furniture. But as I stood there, transfixed, I could feel its growing influence on me. It was drawing me in, like a moth to a flame, and I wanted to use it again so badly. No, I _needed_ to use it again.

And I would.

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**A/N:** Thank you SO much for the many reviews and amazing number of alerts and favorites! I LOVE it and find it incredibly motivating as a writer. Suggestions and feedback are always welcome! VL1


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

I _had_ to know more. I cautiously placed the crystal in my fist and closed my eyes. I felt the familiar sparks and tried to calm myself as I shifted through the images and finally focused on one. This time I was sitting in my kitchen, actually _Gran's _kitchen from before the fire, and I still looked to be a young child. My brother and grandmother were seated at the table with me, and we were all laughing about something. My parents stood behind me, my father's hand resting on my shoulder. I couldn't hear anything from the scene and I struggled to recall this moment from my past. Did this really happen? I couldn't remember. We looked so happy, though; I wanted to stay like this forever, still innocent and safe, back with my lost loved ones. A feeling of peace and contentment overcame me as the image faded. I squeezed the crystal, hoping to see more, but the vision was gone.

I sat on my bed, trying to make sense of what it all meant. I was grateful for the chance to revisit the past but what else could the crystal do? I reread Niall's letter but felt helpless to understand the true purpose of his gift. Why would he have felt compelled to give me this crystal? He must have thought it could help me in some way. But how? By seeing my past? By seeing my future? It was hard to understand a fairy mind, especially his.

I thought back to the earlier image of my someday-son. Seeing myself with a child stirred maternal feelings within me that I never even knew existed. I now realized that I _wanted _to be a mother one day. But Eric and I would never be able to have children; in fact, the subject was never even mentioned when we talked about our future and moving forward in our relationship. Yes, we loved each other, but would that be enough? And based on my vision, did we even have a chance for a future together now? That last question left me numb. Maybe the crystal was telling me things my heart wasn't ready to accept yet.

I looked at the crystal, so beautiful and so enticing. I can't fully explain the growing power that the crystal held over me; it was like an addictive drug. I felt it _calling_ to me to touch it and try using it again. But I had enough sense at this point to realize that I needed to distance myself from it. So I picked up the stone and returned it to the box, placing it deep in the back of my closet where I wouldn't see it or be tempted again.

I tried to rouse myself from my negative thinking and headed for the sunshine. Just being outside and away from the crystal did wonders for my state of mind. I worked on my backyard tan until noon and then quickly dressed for my 'spa day,' trying to ignore my closet at all costs. Our spa package included lunch so Amelia and I left home shortly afterwards, picking up Tara on the way. Not another word was mentioned about the crystal, which suited me just fine.

The long afternoon was a wonderful indulgence and the three of us enjoyed every moment of it. The more I was pampered, the more my earlier concerns seemed overblown. The hot-stone massage seemed to melt away my troubled thoughts about visions and their meanings. I chose a sexy shade of red for my manicure and pedicure -- I knew the color would look perfect with my new dress and shoes.

I was getting more excited about my upcoming evening with Eric. He had been hinting for weeks that this would be a memorable birthday and I really hoped he was right. Before dating Bill, I never had a special man in my life for my birthday. The summer of my 26th birthday, two years ago, Bill and I celebrated without much fanfare; he said he could never understand the modern 'need' to focus so much attention on birthdays. Lucky me. And last summer, Quinn's work schedule had kept him away for months after our time together in New Orleans, so my 27th birthday was glossed over as well. I deserved a special birthday for once, didn't I?

We stopped for birthday margaritas on the way home; after all, the spa people told us it was important to stay well hydrated after those beauty treatments. By the time we made it back to Bon Temps I was so relaxed that I needed a nap. I chose to catch a few winks on the living room couch, worried that my bed was too close to the alluring crystal in my closet. An hour later, I took a quick shower and headed back to my bedroom to get ready for the evening.

I wiggled into the new dress hanging over my door and it fit perfectly, just as I had predicted. I wore nothing beneath the dress, as per Eric's instructions, and it made me feel incredibly sexy. After my final touches with makeup and hair, I looked in the mirror for an overall assessment and was quite pleased with what I saw. I was sure Eric would be, too.

I checked the time and hurried to my closet to put on my new 'screw-me' heels. Before going out in public tonight, I would need to test walk around my bedroom to avoid falling flat on my face. But as soon as I opened the closet door, the temptation to see the crystal was overwhelming; I simply could _not_ leave it alone. I brought the box out and sat on my bed, promising myself that I would only try using it one more time before I put it away for good. It would be wonderful to see my departed loved ones again, I convinced myself. And I would talk to Eric tonight about the crystal. Period.

So yet again, I went through the motions to make the images appear in my head, determined to finally see one through to the end. I could feel more control this time; I was able to slow down the visions enough to 'pick' which one I wanted. I chose one randomly but realized too late that it was a terrible scene; I immediately regretted my decision, yet felt powerless to stop myself -- the crystal _made_ me keep going.

In the silent vision, I was bound and gagged in what looked like some sort of empty warehouse. I didn't appear hurt but my fear and frustration were evident. In the shadow of a corner lurked my assailant; he was hiding, waiting. Suddenly the door burst open and Eric ran in, anger blinding him to the actual situation. I could see myself struggling to warn him of the trap, shaking my head and gesturing to the corner but it was too late. The man leaped from the shadows, throwing a silver net over Eric to weaken him, and then began plunging a knife into my Viking over and over again as I helplessly watched in horror. Eric crumpled, covered with his own blood, and then I started screaming. It took me a moment to realize that it was not the future Sookie but me, the here-and-now Sookie, who was hysterical and crying. I opened my eyes, dropped the crystal and continued to sob and shake as I collapsed on my bed.

Within moments, Amelia was beside me, hugging me and trying to calm me down. I had worked myself into quite a state and it took a few minutes to get control of myself again. The heartache I felt from what I had just seen was unbearable. I needed to see Eric _now_ to know that he was, in fact, safe and alright. And I needed him to hold me and soothe my fears.

"What was it, Sookie? What did you see?" Amelia asked quietly when I finally seemed calmer. I told her the vision and she shook her head in disbelief.

"But you don't know the whole story, right? And you don't know the outcome, either. Eric is a _vampire, _Sookie. He recovers from things. It takes a lot to kill a vampire. He didn't get to be his age without learning a few things about survival, right?"

Amelia was being a good friend and trying to say the right things but the truth is I was scared. And I felt responsible for bringing this future calamity upon Eric. Because he was trying to save _me_ yet again, he was going to be in this fatal situation. If being with Eric was going to endanger his life, should I even continue to be a part of it?

"Sookie, I know you're upset, but try not to think any more about it," Amelia said. "It's your birthday, remember? Special day… special _night_… Look at what you've been through because of that stupid crystal. Get rid of the thing! Honestly, what was Niall thinking?"

True. What _was_ my great-grandfather thinking?

After a few more minutes of roommate consolation, Amelia excused herself to go upstairs, probably in search of more literary works to illustrate my foolishness. Before she left my room, though, I asked her to box up the crystal and place it back in the closet since I was afraid to touch it again. She helpfully suggested placing the crystal in the Bon Temps garbage dump instead, but I knew I would never get rid of something so magical, no matter how much it scared me. It was a gift from a fairy prince, after all. And it was the only thing I had to remember Niall.

I looked in the mirror and cringed at what my tears had done to my makeup. It was almost 9:00, so I tried to freshen up and pull myself together. From our connection, Eric would _know_ I was upset. I didn't want to ruin the special evening he had planned for us so I tried to keep my emotions in check and my head clear of negative thoughts. Easier said than done. I was tense, nervous, and anxious about what Eric would say tonight but even more so about our future together.

Suddenly my tension and anxiety vanished, replaced by sheer happiness and contentment. It came from the only force in the world more powerful and more addictive to me than the strange, magic crystal buried in my closet: my blood-bonded.

Eric was here.

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**A/N:** Thank you for patiently sticking with this story! So many reviewers are anxious to know what Eric has to say about the crystal and I'm sorry that it has taken me a few chapters to fully set the stage for this. But I _promise _that the next chapter will be an insightful one. Thanks for reading and reviewing! VL1


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** For those of you who have read CH's short story, "Gift Wrap," keep in mind that Sookie never realizes Niall's involvement in her Christmas 'gift.' So she doesn't really understand the way his fairy mind works. Just food for thought as you read this very looooong chapter.

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**Chapter 4**

I hurried to the back door and opened it before Eric even had a chance to knock. I practically tackled him in my rush to put my arms around him. I started sobbing softly, relieved and overjoyed to see him in the flesh. He held me tight and kissed the top of my head as I continued to cling to him.

"Sookie? What has happened?" he asked tenderly but I couldn't even begin to answer him. I just kept clinging and sniffling, not wanting to let him go and have to face the future.

"Nothing," I lied, unwilling to start this special evening with a conversation I did not want to have. "I'm just so happy to see you," I added. Although I couldn't see his reaction while clutching him, I knew he didn't believe me for a second.

"Lover, look at me," he said firmly and I slowly raised my head to meet his questioning eyes. His thumb lightly rubbed away the tears trailing down my cheeks and then his lips gently brushed mine, calming me down immediately.

"Tell me why you are so upset, Sookie."

"Oh, Eric, please just hold me for now. That would make everything better. We can talk later, I promise."

I buried my head in his hard chest, trying not to mess up his clothes with my tears and runny nose, as I'd done on previous occasions. I finally realized he was wearing a suit and tie, and I looked forward to checking him out from head to toe when I was in a better frame of mind. He held me just like I asked, occasionally running his fingers through my now-messed-up hair. He didn't press me further about my emotional outburst, which I greatly appreciated. I decided that our 'crystal talk' could wait until later in the evening.

His concern and strong embrace were comforting but the growing lust I could feel from the bond (and from what was pressing against me) was a little surprising in this situation. His desire became so intense that I let go and looked up at him questioningly.

"Eric?"

His nostrils flared as he took in my scent and his ice-blue eyes started to glaze over. He was ready to pull me down on the floor and have his way with me. Right. Now. If I hadn't been so confused and upset, I would have gladly joined him.

"Eric! Snap out of it," I said sharply to get his attention. "I'm not exactly in the mood right now."

He reigned himself in and apologized. "Sorry, lover, but you seem more intoxicating than ever tonight," and he smiled. "And we have the whole evening ahead of us to work on your _mood_," he said, licking his lips for emphasis.

I sighed as I pulled him into the house and then left him as I went to gather my new shoes from the bedroom floor. I had asked Amelia to take them out of the closet for me earlier when she was putting away the crystal. The less temptation, the better.

My nerves had settled down by now and I willed myself to have a good time tonight. It was my birthday, after all. When I came back out, stumbling in my high heels, I found Eric in the living room. He was pacing back and forth, and seemed a little nervous for some reason.

"So what are the plans for tonight?" I asked. "Or is it a surprise?"

He turned around to face me and I sucked in a breath -- he looked absolutely perfect. His dark navy suit and cranberry-patterned tie looked custom tailored and quite expensive. He would have been the ideal cover model for _Vampire's Quarterly_. Actually, modeling as a _Playgirl_ centerfold might have been more appropriate. I happen to know firsthand that the package beneath the impeccable clothes was even more impressive.

He flashed me his brilliant smile and walked toward me.

"Well, I won't tell you _everything_ I've planned, lover, but we do have reservations at Nikolai's tonight to start your birthday celebration in style."

Nikolai's was a rooftop restaurant in Shreveport that was elegant and well-respected. They served only the _finest_: in cuisine, in blood, and especially in clientele. Romantic and sophisticated, it was next to impossible to get reservations. But obviously not impossible for Eric.

"Really? That sounds wonderful!" I cooed. By now, Eric was standing directly in front of me, and he pulled me to him and leaned down to kiss me. Our kiss deepened and I could feel my toes curl as I let myself fall into the moment. He was definitely getting me 'in the mood' now as he slowly ran his hands down my back. When he reached my panties-less backside, he softly growled. He pulled away, though, and just stared down at me, looking as though he had something important to say. His eyes started to glaze over again with desire and I could see (and feel) him working hard to control himself.

"Feeling better now?" he asked and I murmured yes. I could still sense some nervousness coming from him, not a typical emotion for Eric. "Let me look at you," he said quietly. I assumed he wanted to see the new ensemble he had bought me.

"I love the dress and shoes, Eric. Thank you," I said, remembering my manners. "What do you think?" I asked, as I stepped back and did a little twirl to show off my birthday gifts.

He smiled as he took in my appearance from head to toe. "Sexy. Beautiful. And almost perfect, lover." He knew that would get a reaction from me.

"_Almost?_" I asked teasingly. "I'm _almost _perfect? And why is that?"

"I think something is missing. Something that would make your outfit complete," he said. And then he smoothly pulled out a very small box from his jacket pocket. "I think _this_ will make you feel and look better, my lover."

He opened the box and presented it to me as I gasped with the shock of it. There lay the most beautiful diamond engagement ring, a stunning pear-shaped stone with tiny baguettes accenting the sides. The platinum setting was classic and the diamond itself was dazzling. It was good-sized but not huge, or pretentious, or showy. In my book, it was the _perfect _ring, which showed how well Eric knew my tastes.

"Sookie," he began. "I know that our pledging was not as you wished, so I am doing this the 'human' way, to make our marriage legal in your world. I love you and hope to make you happy for…"

"No, please, stop," I begged, as tears began rolling down my face again. Eric looked stunned when he saw my reaction to his proposal. As much as it was killing me to halt the single most romantic moment of my life, I knew that the crystal's visions were leading me elsewhere. Marriage between us would be a huge mistake. I would never have a child with Eric, something I truly wanted. And Eric's life would end, _finally_ end, if he stayed with me. I needed to do whatever I could to change that course of events, no matter how hard, no matter how painful.

"I can't marry you, Eric. We don't have a future together," I choked out as I continued to cry.

He didn't say anything for a few moments while he most likely planned his course of action with me. Eric Northman was not used to being refused anything.

He placed the ring box back in his pocket and clutched one of my hands with his, pulling me to the couch with him. We both sat down, facing each other, and I thought my heart was going to jump out of my body. I felt him send a wave of calm through the bond, and I managed to stop crying.

"Sookie," he finally said, and I could tell he was doing his best to remain composed after my flat-out rejection. "We are blood-bonded and pledged… we_ are_ already married. What are you saying about our future? I do not understand."

He raised my hand to his lips and kissed it. "I thought this is what you would want."

"What I want, you can't give me," I said quietly as I pulled my hand back, unable to look at him in my despair.

"What can't I give you?" he asked gently.

"A child. A family." I could feel my heart racing again. He didn't say anything so I was forced to raise my eyes to meet his.

"We've never even talked about it, Eric," I added.

"True, we haven't _yet_," he said carefully. "But if this is something you want and feel strongly about Sookie, then I would be willing to explore options with you," he said to my surprise.

"I've already known the joy of being a parent and I can understand that you would want that, too," he said. Oh god… why did he have to make this harder for me by being so sweet right now?

"But I know that I _will_ have a child someday, Eric. It just won't be yours," I said sadly. Now there was no way to avoid the subject of the crystal.

"And how could you possibly know something like that, lover?" he said lightly, like an adult humoring a child.

"I saw it in a vision. With a crystal that Niall gave me."

His expression suddenly became hard and predatory, and I was a little frightened by his response. "What did you just say?" he hissed, and he grabbed my shoulders roughly to bring me closer to him.

"Um… I was going to talk to you later about this, Eric. I got a package today that Niall sent for my birthday. It was a Kal-something crystal, and it was beautiful." And addictive. But I didn't get a chance to elaborate any more.

"_You_ have a Kailenian crystal?" Eric asked in shock and I nodded.

"Niall gave you one as a _gift_?" He seemed highly agitated by the news, a reaction that I didn't expect. He muttered something to himself that sounded like 'fucking unbelievable.' His strong grip on my shoulders tightened as he seemed utterly lost in thought.

"Ouch, Eric, that hurts," I complained and he immediately released me.

"Sorry," he mumbled and then looked at me intently. "You said you saw a vision. So you've already used the crystal?" he asked. I nodded again and he looked pained by my answer.

"You must promise me to never touch it again, Sookie," he said urgently. "It is a curse to those who use it and a curse to those who follow its visions. And that is why you will give me the crystal," he said forcefully. "_Now_."

I can't stand it when Eric gets all bossy. "Why? How could it be so bad? Niall gave it to me as a special gift -- he would never try to hurt me, Eric."

He let out a small, dry laugh. "You know _nothing_ about Niall and how he thinks, Sookie. I told you once that he would be the first one I would take out if we were to battle again," he said bitterly. "He is ruthless and cunning and a fucking devious _fairy_."

He said that last word with such derision that I immediately became defensive about my great-grandfather and my heritage. I am part fairy, after all.

"What do you know about all of this anyway?" I said in an accusatory tone. "Niall's note said that _you_ could guide me in its use. But it's a Fae crystal. Since when do vampires bother with such things?"

"Since when? Since a Kailenian crystal led to the needless final deaths for too many vampires. I was there, so I know," he said solemnly. He got up from the couch and started pacing. I waited for him to continue but he seemed lost again in his thoughts.

"When? How? I don't understand."

"I told you before that vampires and fairies fought pitched battles centuries ago." I remembered the conversation -- it was after Eric had brought me to meet Niall for the first time.

"Back in the 1400's, the last time we were at war with them, we captured a human who possessed one of these rare crystals. His name was Gildran and he was part-fae, a fighter for their side." He paused and I wasn't sure if he was going to continue.

"We _persuaded_ our human prisoner to use the crystal for our benefit, to give us the advantage of foreseeing the Fae's battle plan," Eric said quietly. "It seemed like a good strategy."

"Did it work?"

He sighed before answering. "Yes and no. The crystal worked but we were wrong in understanding its visions. Gildran was reluctant to share _all_ of what he saw in his visions, or else he was unable to correctly interpret them," Eric said grimly. "Either way, the information he passed along was 'faulty' and led us to make grave tactical errors which cost us dearly. The Fae won the battle."

Strange emotions were coming through the bond. Regret? Guilt? I wasn't sure. "There's more that you're not telling me," I said, and then Eric closed himself off to me.

"It was a terrible time in vampire history, Sookie. And the crystal is to blame for it all."

"If the crystal could predict the future, why didn't the Fae use it themselves? Surely that would have been easier than relying on a human," I said.

"I do not know the answer to that. Perhaps the crystal's magic works differently among the Fae. Go ask a fairy," he said bitterly.

"What ever happened to the crystal?" I asked, ignoring his comment.

"After the war, we tried to destroy it but were unsuccessful, no matter what we did. It should still be buried at the bottom of the Celtic Sea. Along with the bones of Gildran," he added coldly.

I stood up and marched across the room to him. "I suppose you _had_ to kill him, right?" I asked indignantly. "Couldn't you glamour him or something?"

Eric looked at me with irritation and impatience. "It was a _war_, Sookie, and Gildran was a casualty. No, I could not simply glamour him—he was the only other human I've encountered, besides you, that could not be influenced by me. Anyway, the crystal helped destroy him. He was ruined, so to speak," he said indifferently.

"What does _that _mean?" I asked in a huff. Eric was being so unsympathetic about Gildran's life that it enraged me.

"It means that the crystal drove him mad, he became an addict. It consumed him after we forced him to use it so often. And the crystal enhanced his fairy essence somehow. It soon became too intoxicating to be around him. Eventually he had a vision about his own future; he stopped cooperating after that," Eric said simply.

"You mean when he found out he was going to be supper, he wouldn't work with you? Geez, that's surprising," I said disgustedly.

"He was a worthless human, later rumored to have been sacrificed as a trap by your dear great-grandfather himself," he spat. I _really_ didn't want to believe that.

"That can't be true! And I don't understand how you can be so callous about Gildran. He was no different than me, Eric—a human who was part fae. A poor, innocent pawn in your quest for victory," I said indignantly.

"_Precisely_. You are no different. And a 'pawn' is exactly what _you_ will be if you keep the damned stone, Sookie."

His eyes bore into mine as he continued to rant. "A pawn to be exploited by enemies once they learn of the crystal's value and your ability to use it." His frustration was palpable.

"Give the crystal to me, Sookie," he ordered.

But there were still so many unanswered questions. I would _not_ give up the crystal yet, no matter what Eric threatened. Not until I knew whether what I saw in my future was definite or changeable. Eric's life depended on it.

I shook my head and simply said, "No."

His fangs extended and his voice rose in rage now as he grabbed me by my arms and shook me. "Do you _want_ to end up killed and discarded just like that wretched human? Do you have _any_ sense of self-preservation?"

The weight of the whole horrible evening came crashing down on me: Eric's ill-timed proposal; his anger and rough handling of me; the awful truth about the crystal; the fatal vampire/fairy battle; Niall's true motivations; and what it all meant for my future with Eric.

I started crying yet again and Eric stopped shaking me and pulled me into his embrace, kissing the top of my head over and over, trying to comfort me as I sobbed. He was as distraught and confused as I was. I couldn't believe how the evening had deteriorated. Happy birthday, Sookie.

There had to be _someone_ I could talk to that could help me understand the crystal's powers and Niall's mind… and only a fairy could do that.

Now, what other fairy did I know?

****************

**A/N:** So, dear readers… a 3,300 word Eric/Sookie chapter posted just two days after my last update. Do I love you guys or what? Now show _me_ some love, please, by leaving a review!

And no pitchforks, please—I take no responsibility for Sookie's irrational behavior in this chapter. If Eric Northman proposed to me, 'YES!' would have crossed my lips before he even opened that box! VL1


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

After a few minutes, we both calmed down enough to let go of each other and sit back down on the couch. I realized that Amelia was still in the house and politely hiding in her room upstairs, probably hoping we'd leave after all that yelling and crying. But it didn't seem likely that we were going anywhere soon. Our dinner reservation at Nikolai's was the last thing on our minds, unfortunately.

There was an incredible amount of tension between us and as we sat there, Eric stared across the room rather than face me. The frustration and anger coming through the bond was more than I could stand. I was the first to break the silence.

"Eric, why did Niall think that you could guide me in using the crystal?" He sighed and then looked at me intently. He was still _very_ upset with me.

"Niall and his forces were aware that we had captured Gildran and the crystal. We tried using it ourselves after convincing our prisoner to tell us its purpose. But the stone does not work for vampires, only for those with Fae blood. I suppose that Niall must have known somehow that I was observing and learning how Gildran used the crystal," he said before pausing.

"I still believe the human was set up by the fairies to ensure our downfall," he added bitterly.

I ignored that last remark. "What was it like, when Gildran used the crystal?" I asked curiously.

"He would go into a type of trance, sometimes for long periods of time. Depending on how the stone was held, he could see past events or future ones," Eric said.

Finally! Some specifics about how to use the crystal.

"Show me!" I said excitedly. "Niall intended for you to show me! Maybe if I know exactly how to touch the crystal, I can learn more about all of the visions I've seen." And I could figure out how to save Eric.

His eyes widened in shock at my request.

"Never!" he hissed at me. "The last thing in the world I would do is help you to use the damned crystal, Sookie. Haven't you heard _anything_ that I have been telling you tonight??" He was glaring at me again and I was momentarily speechless.

"And what do you mean by _all _of the visions, Sookie? Have you used the crystal more than once?" I nodded and he clenched his fists, trying to control himself.

"Eric, do you know if Gildran's visions showed what _might_ happen or what would _definitely_ happen?" I asked nervously.

"I am not sure of the answer, Sookie. We assumed that if he saw it, then it would come to pass, no matter what. Maybe we were wrong," he said.

A few more tense minutes of silence passed. "What did you see?" he finally asked me, somewhat reluctantly.

I was trying to decide how much detail to include, particularly concerning the future attack on him. Maybe if I opened up to him about my concerns, he would be more understanding. More cooperative.

"Well, I already told you about seeing my son," I started, and he nodded for me to go on. "I also had a wonderful vision of my family from when I was a young child." I hesitated and Eric knew there was more to tell.

"And?" he asked.

"The last one was the worst, Eric. You were trying to rescue me and were ambushed with a silver net and then stabbed. It was horrible," I choked out. "I think the attacker… killed you…"

I looked away from him and tried to compose myself. I refused to start bawling again this evening. He wrapped a long arm around my shoulder and pulled me close to him. It felt so comforting to have him hold me again. If he had any fear about the vision I had just shared with him, he didn't show it. His anger had subsided and he leaned in close to me, nuzzling my neck.

"Is this why you are being so stubborn and foolish?" he whispered in my ear, sending tingles down every inch of my body. "You think I am in danger? You are trying to _save_ me, lover?" he said lightly, as if the idea of me saving him was a humorous one. I had done it before, though, on several occasions. I would need to remind him of that fact, but not right now.

He slowly kissed every inch of my neck, pausing often to inhale my scent. His fangs extended and he lightly grazed them along my shoulder, causing me to shiver in anticipation. "You are so intoxicating, lover, I cannot control myself…"

And then he bolted upright and quickly released me. Great… what now?

"The crystal," he said. "It has affected you, just as it did Gildran. You are more…" and he paused before saying it, "… fairy."

"Is that such a bad thing?" I asked longingly, eager for his touch again on my skin. I didn't think it was so terrible to be more attractive and alluring to Eric.

"Yes," he said sharply. "You will become too tempting; I won't be able to stop. It will be like the last time when…" and he looked at me with deep concern in his eyes.

"What last time?" I asked.

"Never mind," he said, brushing the comment aside. He gathered both of my hands in his and stared at me with those beautiful deep pools of blue.

"Please listen to me, Sookie," he said gently. "I know you want to think the best of Niall and his gift, but I need you to trust me on this, okay? The crystal needs to be far, far away from you. I have existed much longer than you and have seen and learned many things in that time. Please, Sookie… give the crystal to me. Let me take care of everything," he said soothingly.

He was obviously trying a different approach with me, and I think he realized I was much more willing to surrender to sweet Eric than to angry Eric. What was that phrase Gran used to say about catching more flies with honey? He brought my hands to his lips and gently kissed and caressed them. His eyes were pleading with me to agree with him, and I was ready to give him anything he wanted at that point.

"Okay," I whispered back to him and I could sense his relief right away. "I'll go get it from my closet," I said.

I reluctantly broke away from Eric and headed for my bedroom. Tonight had been an emotional roller coaster ride and my head was swirling from everything we discussed. There was so much more I wanted to know about the crystal and never would once I handed it over to Eric. Knowing him, he would probably fly to the Gulf and dump it immediately, its secrets lost forever.

I opened the closet door and felt the strange magnetic pull of the crystal calling to me. I dug around to find the box – Amelia had placed it in a different spot when she replaced it earlier. My hands trembled as I took it out of the closet, and I told myself that I would _not_ open the box or touch the crystal again. Think about poor Gildran and what it did to him. I was stronger than that. Eric would survive somehow and I didn't need to change things. This was all for the best.

I walked back out to the living room but stopped at the entranceway, clutching the box to my chest. I felt like a little girl whose precious teddy bear was about to be taken away from her. Eric patted the seat next to him on the couch, expecting me to come sit down. But I stayed rooted to the spot.

"Sookie," Eric growled softly, when he saw me stalling. He crooked his finger, motioning me to him, his eyes commanding, but I was having major second-thoughts. I couldn't recall ever feeling so possessive about anything in my life. I was definitely addicted.

"What are you doing?" he asked with an edge of irritation. He was probably quite sure of what I was doing, though: _not_ giving him the crystal.

"Eric, I really want to still talk about this, please," I said shakily, hoping my confidence would build as I went along. I needed to make Eric understand that there was so much more we could learn and do with this valuable gift. And it could hopefully save his life.

"Maybe if we worked together, with you guiding me, it would be safer…" But I didn't have a chance to finish. He was standing before me in a flash, his patience worn thin.

"Our talking is over, Sookie," he said wearily, as he reached for the box with the crystal.

And I snapped.

"Why? Because _you_ say so? The crystal belongs to _me_, Eric. _I_ decide what to do with it. If you won't help me use the crystal, I'll find someone else who will, or else figure it out on my own," I said defiantly, still clutching my birthday gift.

"Give. Me. The. Crystal." His eyes were blazing and he would not back down.

"Is that what marriage to you will be like, Eric? You ordering me around and me having to do what you say?" I wouldn't back down either.

Looking back on it now, I can honestly say "the crystal made me do it," however lame an excuse that may sound. But it's really true. I was simply not in possession of sane thought that evening because of the crystal's influence. I was irrational and unreasonable, and Eric's pragmatism just couldn't win out.

"I could easily take that crystal from you but I won't," he all but spat back at me. "You have a choice and I'll make it a simple one for you, Sookie." His voice was colder than I had ever heard it before.

"You either choose Niall's crystal or you choose my diamond. Which will it be?" He glared at me and I glared back.

"Don't ask me to make that choice, Eric," I finally said.

He just looked at me for a long time, and I could feel his despair and pain through the bond.

"You're right, then," he said, resigned. "We _don't_ have a future together."

And with that he brushed by me, but not before adding a sarcastic "Happy Birthday" as he left. I could hear the front door slam and I sunk to the floor, still grasping the box. I was dizzy with the anguish of what just happened between us.

And what should have been the happiest birthday of my life turned out to be the worst. And it was my fault entirely.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Several of you mentioned a similarity between Sauron's ring from LOTR and Niall's crystal. That's a fair comparison; although, honestly, I never intended such when I started writing this story. It just sort of evolved that way. So whether in Middle-earth or Bon Temps, beware of strong, dark influences at work!

**Chapter 6**

"So you chose Niall's crystal over Eric's diamond ring?" Amelia asked incredulously.

Her astonished look matched her astonished thoughts, although I had tried to stay out of her head during our conversation. It was just too painful to hear what a rational person thought of my actions. But she was broadcasting so loudly that I couldn't help but 'listen' in: she wished she had gotten me therapy sessions rather than a spa package for my birthday. She was probably right.

'I didn't really _choose_, Amelia. I told Eric not to make me choose, if that makes any sense," I said.

Who was I kidding? I clearly chose the crystal and that was why Eric left me.

It was the next morning and Amelia and I were sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and recounting my disaster of a birthday. After Eric stormed off yesterday, Amelia had tried her best to comfort me. Again. She had been kind enough to not question me in my shell-shocked state and simply helped me to bed. During a rare moment of clarity last night, I asked her to take the boxed crystal and hide it somewhere so I couldn't find it. I no longer trusted myself to be anywhere near the crystal.

I slept very little if at all; I was too distraught over our fight. And what a fight it was. I spent the long hours in bed, wondering where to go from here. Could I ever salvage what had happened between Eric and me? What role did the crystal play in my future? And... _what_ was Niall thinking???

This post-birthday morning I had staggered into the kitchen, desperate for some coffee to help my brain function again. I felt like I had been run over by a freight train and that was a perfect analogy for my life: a train wreck. I'm sure I looked like hell, too, but I simply didn't care. Amelia was already up and coffee was already brewing. I sat down and put my head in my hands as Amelia joined me at the table with two filled mugs.

"I'm here to listen if you want to tell me what happened, Sookie," was all she said and I nodded and braced myself to recount the painful events of the night before. After willing myself to get through this (and after a few gulps of hot coffee), I told her _everything_; from the romantic beginning to the downhill ending. She didn't say a word -- she just tried to be a supportive listener.

"So you chose Niall's crystal over Eric's diamond ring…" she said again after I had finished my tale. It was more a statement of shock than a question meant to be answered.

"WOW," she added.

Nothing more was said as Amelia digested everything I had just told her. I could see the wheels spinning in her head as she logically put the events in proper perspective. That was good. I needed someone to objectively tell me what to do now.

"It takes a lot of courage for a man to propose marriage, Sookie," she said. That was very true and I thought back to Eric's nervousness before he popped the question. "And you rejected him." Yes, yes, yes.

"And Eric went to a lot of trouble to set things up for a special birthday," she continued. Yes, yes, yes.

"And by refusing to give him the crystal, you made him feel like you didn't trust him, or believe him, or…"

"Okay, Amelia! I get it!" I practically screamed. "I'm an idiot and I feel like shit for what I did to Eric. But I didn't tell you this so you could make me feel even worse, which I _do_, by the way. I told you this because I need help here," I said. And I needed more coffee, too.

"As soon as you tried using it, I warned you about the crystal and wanting to know the future. How else can I help you, Sookie? Don't you want to face facts already?" she asked a little defensively.

"I'll face the facts about Eric later. I need to first figure out how the crystal works and why Niall gave it to me. I still have three visions to make sense of and I'm terrified about what's going to happen to Eric!" I cried, sounding as desperate as I felt.

"Okay, calm down," Amelia said. "I'm sorry. I know you're hurting and scared right now. Maybe if we talk through what Eric told you, it will make more sense," she said. I agreed and we both refilled our mugs and pondered last night's information.

"Did Eric say how much Fae blood Gildran had in him? Was he the same as you?" Amelia asked.

"No, I don't know _what_ Gildran was." I replied. "Other than unlucky."

"Maybe the crystal has different powers or effects depending on how much fairy blood you have. I wonder how it affects full fairies," Amelia said.

"I don't know the answer to that but I do know a full fairy whom I plan on asking _lots_ of questions." We both looked at each other and thought the same thing: Claude.

"Do you think Claude knew what Niall's gift was when he gave it to you?" Amelia asked.

"He said he didn't, but how could he _not_ feel its power? And he's been holding onto it for six months, right? After just one day, I can't even be in the same room as the crystal without wanting to touch it and use it. I don't know where you hid it, Amelia, but I bet I could find the crystal just by walking around the house until I felt it sucking me in again," I said seriously.

"That's downright creepy, Sookie," she said and shivered a little. "Maybe talking to Claude would be a good idea, then."

I agreed. And I planned on having Claude help me use the crystal again, even though he and Amelia didn't know that yet.

"I find it interesting that the crystal made you more fairy-like," Amelia continued. "You know, Eric could have really hurt you if he lost control. Do you think you have any other fairy qualities now?"

I thought about that for a while. Well, I couldn't poof in and out of places like the fairies I knew. But maybe I just didn't know how to. Was I more attractive to others? I certainly was to vampires. And it would probably be a good idea to be careful around iron and lemon juice, just in case.

"No, I don't feel any different," I said. Other than heartbroken.

"Do you think Niall wanted you and Eric to break up?"

"Why would you think that?" I asked, somewhat startled.

"Because it's not surprising that Eric wouldn't help you, Sookie, considering all of the negative dealings he had with the crystal. Maybe Niall hoped it would cause problems between the two of you," she suggested. "_Like it did_." She looked at me intently.

"You're wrong," I said defensively. "Before he left, Niall told me he thought Eric was a good man and that Eric loved me. Niall knew of our bond. He would never try to hurt that relationship. Besides, this was a gift of good intentions, I'm sure of it," I said.

"Really good intentions," she muttered.

Why did everyone always think my great-grandfather was trying to hurt me or manipulate me? Vampires had done that to me just as much as fairies. Niall once told me his love for me was deep and sincere. And I believed him. Still.

"Why do you always assume the _worst_ of Niall?" I asked pointedly.

"Why do you always assume the _best_?" she replied and it stunned me. Had I really been doing that?

"Look at what his involvement in your life has cost you, Sookie. You were tortured and almost killed because of your connection to Niall. And innocent others _died_ because of the damn Fairy War… and it was all for nothing," she said bitterly.

We both knew she was thinking of the loss of Tray. And my heart was heavy for the losses I suffered as well. I had finally recovered from the horrible events of six months ago; yet, once again, my life was being turned upside down because of my Fae connections.

We both sat silently for a while, not wanting to further explore such a painful topic. I finally decided to broach the subject of the crystal again with Amelia. I was going to need her assistance for what I planned today.

"So where's the crystal now?" I asked casually.

"Somewhere you can't get to it," she smugly answered me.

"Good. Let's keep it that way for now. But this afternoon, I really need to try and talk to Claude. And I'd like for you and the crystal to join me."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

So… a witch, a telepath and a Kailenian crystal were en route to a fairy's apartment…

It might sound like the opening line for a funny joke, but our mission today was far from it. I sincerely hoped that Claude would be able to answer my many questions about the crystal and maybe even show me how to use it. At least once more, anyway. Given how things went last night, and depending on how things went today, I was strongly considering leaving the crystal with Claude. Permanently.

Amelia had reluctantly agreed to accompany me, not only because she is a good friend, but because this was a task I could not do alone. I needed someone who could keep me away from temptation during the car ride to Claude's. After the first few miles, she placed the boxed crystal in my trunk when I started to get jumpy and was no longer able to drive. Just sensing the nearby crystal in Amelia's purse was enough to send me over the edge.

Moving the crystal to the trunk solved my addiction problem for the time-being; however, it didn't resolve my _other_ very big problem: Eric. I had tried to mentally push aside our awful fight so I could focus on my other immediate concerns, but I was still an emotional mess. In my head, I kept hearing Eric's bitter parting words and I became distressed that there really wasn't a future with him. Throughout the day the pain and fear in my heart were so great at times that I would sob uncontrollably, often sending my concerned roommate into worry-mode. I tried to pull myself together, though, to concentrate on driving. The last thing I needed right now was a car accident.

It was mid-afternoon and I really hoped to find Claude at home, rather than at the strip club he owned. Not that I haven't been to a male strip club before, not that I don't admire a beautiful male body as much as the next hetero woman… but the idea of seeing a family member's member was just… icky. Besides, I wasn't sure how our conversation about 'secret fairy stuff' would go. I was pretty certain that privacy and discretion would be necessary, and I doubted his club could offer us those two things.

I didn't tell Claude that we were coming over because I wasn't too sure of the welcome we would receive. He wasn't exactly brimming with excitement when he brought me my birthday present yesterday, and I suspected he knew more about the crystal than he let on. I had briefly been to Claude's once before, after Claudine's memorial service, so I knew where he lived. It was a lovely garden apartment with tasteful décor, located in the most affluent section of Shreveport—with a monthly rental price well out of _my_ salary range. But Claude could easily afford it and he definitely enjoyed the finer things in life.

I pulled into the parking lot and asked Amelia to retrieve the crystal from the trunk. I rang Claude's doorbell, hoping he would be home and _alone_. When he answered the door, looking model-like, as always, in designer jeans and a tight t-shirt, I breathed a sigh of relief. He simply gestured us inside when he saw the two of us. I saw him eye the box Amelia was carrying, but he didn't say anything about it.

"Sit down in the living room, ladies, and I'll bring us some iced tea," he said to my surprise. I didn't think he knew how to be such a cordial host. And showing _southern_ hospitality, no less.

"You don't seem too surprised to see us, Claude," I said as he headed to the kitchen. He simply nodded in agreement before he disappeared and left us to find a seat.

"Calm down, Sookie," Amelia said when we had settled on the couch. I was shaking now but I wasn't sure if it was from nerves or from sitting so near the crystal. "You already know the worst of it from Eric; maybe Claude will have some good things to say," she said comfortingly. Amelia stood and strode across the room, placing the boxed crystal on the top shelf of a built-in bookcase, before she returned to sit next to me. My shaking lessened considerably.

A few minutes later, we were all sipping sweet tea and Claude wasted no time getting to the heart of the matter.

"Niall told me to expect you at some point, that you would probably want to speak with me," he said stiffly. "I didn't think it would be so soon, though."

"So you know what his gift was? You know about the crystal?" I asked anxiously.

"Yes. Before he returned to our world, he showed me the crystal and told me of his intention to leave it with you. Not that I agreed with him," he added.

I wondered why Claude felt that way, but I decided now was not the time to go down that road.

"I had never actually seen a Kailenian crystal before-- they are quite rare in my world. But I'm familiar with its well-known powers and history, as all fairies are," he said.

"Did you try using it? Did Niall show you how?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

"I tried using it once, before Niall had it wrapped and returned to me for safekeeping. And he didn't _need_ to show me how to use it, Sookie. _Of course_ I would know. I'm a fairy," he said somewhat haughtily. I guess fairies are hard-wired with an innate ability to use Kailenian crystals.

"What do you know about its powers-- what can it do, Claude? Is it only for seeing the past and the future?" I asked nervously.

"You must have tried using it already since you're so upset. What exactly did you see?" he asked. I briefly told him about the visions of my future son, my time with my deceased family, and the attack-to-come on Eric.

He paused as if deciding how to proceed. "The crystal's powers are complicated, Sookie. It will only work for those with Fae blood and it works differently for full fairies than it would for you. For instance, we can't see the past or future at all—only the present, and only in certain situations," he said.

"The present? What good would that do?" Amelia chimed in.

"A lot of good, actually. Niall used the crystal to help locate Sookie and rescue her when she was kidnapped during the last Fairy War. But the crystal wasn't able to track Breandan's group until it was too late," he sighed, obviously thinking of Claudine. Amelia sighed too, obviously thinking of Tray.

"You mean the crystal Niall gave me as a gift is the same one he used to save me? It was _his_ crystal?" I asked, astonished.

"Yes, he's had this crystal for many hundreds of years. Most of the other crystals have been lost or destroyed over time. If Niall hopes to communicate with you again, he must find another crystal back in the Faery realm. And that won't be easy," he said doubtfully.

"Whoa! What do you mean 'communicate' with me?" I asked. Through the crystal?" This just kept getting weirder and weirder.

"He wasn't sure you would even want to, Sookie, after what happened to you. The decision needs to be yours, though. Niall was insistent about that. But now that the portal between our worlds is closed, it may be impossible for you both to connect, anyway," he replied.

I didn't know how to feel about placing a long-distance 'crystal call' to the Faery world. Claude's information was raising even more questions in my mind about my great-grandfather.

"How would that work, _hypothetically_, of course?" I asked curiously.

"If two individuals both have crystals, they can use them to link their thoughts, telepathically. During the War of 1428, this was used to our great advantage; it helped us to defeat the vampires," Claude said proudly. He obviously knew his Fairy History.

"So Gildran was able to communicate with Niall while being held prisoner by the vampires?" I asked, surprised. I wondered if Eric had known that little tidbit. Claude seemed shocked by my knowledge and then realized how I must have come by my information.

"I suppose your boyfriend would know firsthand about that period in our past. _He_ was the one, after all, who led the vampires to their destruction. Eric Northman is as memorable in our history as Gildran," he said a bit harshly as he smiled.

No wonder Eric had such strong feelings about the crystal. He must have felt responsible and maybe even guilty about his role in the vampires' downfall, if vampires felt guilt at all.

"Tell me more about Gildran," I said, not wanting to think any more about Eric and his feelings right now.

"It was well before my time, but legend has it that he was a favorite of Niall's. He was ambushed by the vampires and held hostage by them as they tried to use his crystal to defeat us. Gildran was 1/4 fairy and nearly 200 years old at the time he was murdered," Claude said.

"How can that be? He was mostly human," Amelia said.

"Yes, but that is one of the crystal's powers. It adds more fairy qualities to humans, such as extending life spans. It adds more attractiveness, as well. Niall thought Sookie would enjoy being more desirable to her vampire. Of course, that same quality worked to Gildran's disadvantage, since the vampires lost control and sucked him dry," he said disdainfully.

"So besides my added vampire appeal, I would live much longer if I kept the crystal?" I asked stunned.

"Yes, another benefit Niall envisioned for you and the vampire—more time together," Claude said. "You will never be immortal, though. Even full fairies eventually die."

My mind was scrambling to take it all in. Niall _did_ care about my happiness with Eric. Then my heart skipped a beat when I thought of another possible benefit, one that might explain my first vision.

"Claude… is there anything else that the crystal can do for me? Like… for fertility?" I asked hopefully.

"I don't understand what you mean," he said blankly.

"She means, could the crystal help her conceive a baby with a vampire?" Amelia asked bluntly. "Isn't that right, Sookie?" She looked to me and I nodded.

Claude sighed. "Sorry, Sookie. That's not possible, as far as I know."

For just the briefest moment I had clung to the notion that maybe Niall had bestowed the ultimate gift to me in that crystal: the possibility for Eric to father my child. But Claude's answer set me straight. As I let the reality of that upsetting news sink in, I faced the biggest question yet, one I had been absolutely dreading.

"Claude, you must tell me something… please," I practically begged as he looked at me a little shocked.

"Will everything happen that I saw in my visions? Is it possible for me to _change_ the future?" I held my breath as I waited for him to answer.

Claude looked at me and shook his head. "This is precisely why I told Niall that you must _not_ have the crystal, Sookie. Humans have always hoped to change their destinies but it cannot be done. The future visions you witnessed _will_ come to pass, although perhaps not in ways you can now realize. The vampires certainly never understood that. Even Gildran didn't understand that," he said sadly.

When did Claude become such an astute observer of human nature?

"If I can't fix things to help Eric, then I _must_ find out what happens," I said. "I have to use the crystal again. Claude, please help me… I _need_ to know what happens to Eric!" I said in a panic.

"Sookie," Amelia said, "why torture yourself like this? You won't be able to change anything, anyway. Right, Claude?" Amelia asked as she looked to my cousin for support.

Surprisingly, Claude seemed like he was considering my idea.

I tried my best to convince him. "Even though my vision about Eric will come true, there's more, right? More I don't understand. Just help me to see what happens _after _he's attacked. Then I'll stop, I promise. You can keep the crystal, Claude," I said as persuasively as I could. "I _swear_."

"Sookie," he said. "I know how to use the crystal-- but as a fairy, not as a human. I'm not sure I can pinpoint a specific time like that in a vision," he said, a bit embarrassed.

Amelia was getting in a huff. "This is crazy talk, Sookie. Every time you use that crystal, you get even more worked up. Don't do it!" she warned.

"But if I can just be sure that Eric survives, I won't need the crystal any more. I can be satisfied with that," I said. I looked to Claude again and could sense that he was close to giving in.

"Please…" I begged and waited for what seemed like an eternity.

"Sookie," he finally said. "I will do this with you but just once. I hope that what you see will convince you to abandon the crystal after this. Okay?" he asked and I hugged him in gratitude.

"It is _not_ okay," Amelia said. But before she could start ranting, Claude simply told her to trust him.

He stood and retrieved the box and crystal from the bookcase and opened it for me. Seeing the beautiful sparkling stone again made me weak with desire. I reached out to grab for it but Claude stepped back.

"Wait, Sookie," he said. "I will show you how to hold it first and then I will help you find what you need to see." I didn't quite know how he was going to do that but I watched as he carefully modeled the correct way to lay the crystal in my palm. There was a specific place to press on the side of the stone before fisting. I did as he instructed and then my eyes snapped closed of their own will.

Images swirled around my head but this time there was a definite path I was following. Claude's hand rested on my shoulder and it almost seemed like he was helping 'steer' me to the correct picture. We moved deeper into the vision and I wondered if Claude was able to see what I was seeing through our connection. If so, he would have realized that this was _not_ a vision concerning Eric being attacked. Far from it. I guess Claude needed more practice.

In this vision, it was evening and I saw myself outside in my backyard. At least it seemed like my backyard but with _major_ improvements. I was gathering plates and leftover food from a cookout and as I glanced over I saw Jason there as well. He looked much older than I did and he was laughing with me about something. Just as in my previous visions, I couldn't hear what was being spoken. It was nice to see that in the future our relationship had been repaired.

I felt Claude's hand continue to press down on my shoulder as I watched the future unfold. A red-headed woman lightly kissed Jason and joined him at the patio table. Behind her trailed a little red-haired girl and an older blond boy, and both children were laughing as they jumped on Jason and he tickled them in return. I gasped when I realized the boy was the same one from my first vision, although maybe five years older than before. He was taller and had an athletic build, but he still had that same familiar face, _my_ face, and now I realized, _Jason's_ face.

Before I could decide how I felt about this new development, Eric came out of the house, looking as vibrant and sexy as ever. The present-day me was so relieved to see him alive and well, and back in my life, that I started to cry. Claude rubbed my shoulder to calm me down and I focused again on the vision, anxious to see more.

Eric carried a True Blood in one hand and a filled wine glass in the other as he sauntered over to me. He placed both items on the table and pulled me in for a kiss, which I looked like I enjoyed. Behind Eric, there followed an adorable little girl about the same age as the red-headed one. This child was brunette, with long hair pulled back in a braid. She was absolutely beautiful and it looked like she was saying something to catch Eric's attention. He released me and, with a wide grin, turned back to the girl. He picked her up and kissed her neck repeatedly until she squealed with delight in the silent movie I was watching. He hugged her close and then lifted the dainty girl onto his strong shoulders, turning to smile at future-me before the vision went dark.

*************

**A/N:** _Sorry but it will be a few weeks before I can post the next chapter. RL is calling and I am leaving with my family this weekend for a long and much-needed vacation (with no computers/internet!). Hope that at least **some** of your burning questions have been answered and that the future is now looking brighter! VL1_


	8. Chapter 8

**From Sookie's last vision at the end of Chapter 7:**

_Eric carried a True Blood in one hand and a filled wine glass in the other as he sauntered over to me. He placed both items on the table and pulled me in for a kiss, which I looked like I enjoyed. Behind Eric, there followed an adorable little girl about the same age as the red-headed one. This child was brunette, with long hair pulled back in a braid. She was absolutely beautiful and it looked like she was saying something to catch Eric's attention. He released me and, with a wide grin, turned back to the girl. He picked her up and kissed her neck repeatedly until she squealed with delight in the silent movie I was watching. He hugged her close and then lifted the dainty girl onto his strong shoulders, turning to smile at future-me before the vision went dark._

**Chapter 8**

The vision was gone, as well as the future promise it held for me. My mind was reeling from what I just witnessed. Had I seen my future daughter? And Jason's children as well? I was desperate to continue watching the scene so I stood there clutching the crystal, my eyes still closed, just wishing for it to be so. Suddenly, I felt Claude reach around me. Still keeping one hand on my shoulder, he placed his other hand over mine so that we were both touching the crystal. Immediately, the same vision reappeared in my mind; only this time, thanks to Claude's help, I could hear what was being said.

"Did you like your 'vampire kisses,' Addie?" my future self asked the little girl sitting high atop Eric's shoulders. The three of us looked so happy together that for a moment I could only imagine it was all a dream.

"Yes, Mommy," she said in a sweet, innocent voice. "Daddy's kisses are always good," and she laughed as Eric began tickling her. She squirmed from her high perch, grabbing Eric's neck tightly as she tried to hold on.

"_Good_? Only _good_? Is that what you really think, Adele?" he asked in a mock hurt tone. Eric continued to tickle the petite child until I thought she was going to fall off his shoulders.

"Stop, Daddy!" she kept giggling but Eric wouldn't let up. "Okay, okay, your kisses are the _best_!" she admitted and Eric chuckled as he finally stopped and pulled her down next to him. Their height difference was enormous but they looked perfect next to each other as he leaned way down to kiss the top of her head. I had known in my heart that Eric would be a great father but it was touching to see him interact so easily and naturally with the little brunette.

"Okay… we've got ice cream and birthday cake on the kitchen table. Who wants dessert?" I sang out as I peered over at my guests. The vision enlarged so that I could now see Jason, his red-headed companion and the two children with them.

"ME!" three eager young voices said in unison. They raced towards the back door and the adults slowly followed behind.

"Let Jason and I take the kids inside for dessert, Sookie," the red-headed woman offered. "You've done too much tonight anyway. And you and Eric should enjoy some time alone, after all," she smiled.

"Thanks, Mindy," I answered. "Sounds like an offer I can't refuse," and Eric put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close to him, agreeing with me.

"You coming, Jason?" she asked my brother. He didn't look as thrilled with the idea as Mindy did, but he nodded with a sheepish grin and followed the pretty red-head. "Happy Birthday, Sook," he added before he disappeared into the house.

Eric walked us over to the patio table where he handed me my wine glass and picked up his bottle of blood. We looked so comfortable and at ease with each other—just like an old married couple. In agreement and as if rehearsed many times before, we clinked the two items together in a toast.

"To my beautiful Sookie… a very Happy Birthday," Eric said and we each took a sip of our drinks. He gave me a tender birthday kiss and smiled as he absently ran his fingers through my hair.

"You know, Addie was right about you, Eric," my future-self said teasingly. "Your kisses _are_ the best…" and he laughed. "I already know that," he agreed, as he placed my glass and his bottle back on the table. Our drinking had come to an end.

"Finally… I get to be _all alone_ with the birthday girl," he said seductively as his fangs extended. He nuzzled into my neck and grazed my skin with his fangs, causing me to softly cry out.

"Well, alone for maybe ten minutes, anyway," I added a little breathlessly, looking like I was seriously enjoying Eric's attention to my neck.

"A _lot_ can be accomplished in ten minutes, lover," he murmured as he started nibbling on my earlobe.

Then he whispered something into my ear which present-day me couldn't hear. But I could tell that it was something provocative enough to make my future-self blush. I saw myself nod to Eric and then watched him smile as he gently removed my halter top until I stood there bare-breasted in my moon-lit backyard, knowing that my relatives were only a few feet away inside the house. I saw myself glance back at the house for reassurance but Eric took my chin in his hand and turned my face back to his mesmerizing blue eyes. We started kissing then, deeply and passionately, becoming totally unaware of our surroundings.

While our mouths were occupied, one of Eric's hands slowly traveled down my chest, lightly caressing and circling my breasts before he kept moving downwards. His large hand kept on its leisurely descent, bit by bit, stopping to brush against my stomach which only added to my anticipation. And then he went a little lower, a little lower, until he _finally_ reached the spot I wanted him to reach. I could see myself rubbing and pushing against his hard hand, desperate for more contact between us and then he reached up to expertly unbutton my shorts. I saw him easily slip his hand inside my underwear and as I watched the scene play out, I could almost feel his fingers moving inside of me, bringing me intense pleasure. I was _so_ close to climaxing, both in the vision and in real life. Present-day me desperately wanted to touch myself but both of my hands were grasping the crystal and I couldn't decide which urge was stronger. The fact that Claude and Amelia were next to me never even crossed my mind. Who knew that I could get so worked up just _watching_ Eric touch me like that? No wonder some people videotape themselves having sex—it was unbelievably HOT to view Eric and myself together this way. By now I wasn't even sure if it was the voyeur-me or they participant-me (or both) who moaned loudly; it was becoming impossible to distinguish between what I was feeling and what I was seeing.

At this point, Claude abruptly removed his hand from mine and we both let go of the crystal. The vision instantly disappeared and I opened my eyes to see Amelia watching us with great interest. I was slightly embarrassed by what my cousin might have just witnessed and what my roommate might have just heard. Thank goodness Claude stopped things when he did.

He looked a little flustered which I assumed meant he had been along for the entire ride. An awkward situation, even if one of us is a stripper.

"Did you see and hear all that?" I asked him, just to be sure. He nodded.

"Well, how'd it go?" Amelia asked, looking from me to Claude with curiosity. "You seemed like you were gone for a long time."

"Um, it was interesting, to say the least," I replied, trying to cool myself down a little. I felt quite flushed and tingly from my recent visual experience.

"So tell me!" Amelia said excitedly. "What happened?"

I filled her in on what I had just seen and heard, glossing over the ending somewhat to minimize my embarrassment. I could always give her more intimate details later. Claude seemed comfortable with my decision as well.

"That's wonderful!" Amelia beamed when I had finished my recounting of the vision. "See? You were totally wrong about your first vision. The boy was your nephew, not your son. And you'll have a daughter with Eric somehow… wow!"

"Well, that should have _satisfied_ you, Sookie," Claude said with a smirk. "You now know that you have a future with your vampire."

As he reached to pick up the crystal, I felt that familiar desperate longing – and having just used it only whetted my appetite for more. But he was faster than I was and swiftly stepped away from me, holding my precious birthday gift in his hands.

"Claude…" I started, but he seemed to know exactly what I was going to say and stopped me before I could begin to beg.

"No, Sookie. Remember I told you that I would help you only once and you promised and swore that you would give me back the crystal when we were done," he said sharply. "It's over."

"But it's _not _over… I still need to know how to save Eric. His life will be in danger," I said in my most convincing way, hoping my persuasions would work again. But Claude was unmoved this time.

"Sookie, you and I have just seen far into your future and Eric was alive and well. He will obviously survive whatever misfortune you saw in your other vision," he said sensibly.

"That's true, Sookie," Amelia added. "Now that you know things will all work out, you need to let it go."

Easier said than done. The addict within me was resurfacing and my recent experience with the crystal had only intensified my urges.

"Claude, I demand that you give the crystal back to me," I said somewhat forcefully. "It does _not _belong to you and it is not your place to keep _my_ gift from Niall." I walked over to him and opened my palm, fully expecting him to cooperate and return what was rightfully mine.

My cousin looked surprised by my outburst and actions, so he looked to Amelia for answers.

"Yes, she has been like this since she started using the crystal," Amelia answered his unspoken question. "I've had to hide it from her at the house since she can't seem to control herself. Why would Niall give her something so addictive?" Amelia asked him, the same question I had often asked myself.

"I don't think Niall expected the crystal to influence her that way," he said. "It's a surprising side-effect. Maybe because she's only part fairy, she can't handle it as well as other Fae can," he suggested.

I recalled Claude mentioning that Gildran was one-fourth fairy compared to my one-eighth heritage. And Eric said the crystal had eventually driven Gildran mad… so what could it do to me, someone with even less fairy blood for protection? Perhaps Eric was right to be so concerned.

"Speaking of side effects," I said and stepped back from Claude when I saw the crystal was not going to be returned to me, "I still don't fully understand all of the things that this crystal can do for me." Or could have done for me, now that it was no longer mine.

"I told you earlier, Sookie. You'd become more attractive to vampires, you would live longer, you could communicate with Niall, see your future and past," he said before I interrupted him.

"That one. My past. Why would Niall think that could help me?" I asked.

"Since you had lost so much of your family, I suppose he thought you would enjoy seeing them once more, connecting with your loved ones," he said quietly and I knew he was thinking of Claudine again. The addict in me saw a way to use this to my advantage even though the rational part of me knew it was despicable.

"Claude, what if you helped me just one more time, to see my past and see Claudine again?" and he looked at me with astonished eyes. "You seem to be able to see what I can when we're both touching the crystal, so it would help you, too," I added.

"Sookie Stackhouse!" Amelia shrieked. "You should be ashamed of yourself. You want to use that crystal so badly that you'll say _anything_ to get Claude to help you!" I didn't think my motive had been so transparent.

"Is this true?" he asked angrily, hurt by my apparent manipulation. "Do you really want to see Claudine or are you just using me again?"

"No, you are twisting things, both of you! I just thought that maybe we could help one another…" but the guilt written on my face was obvious and I felt terrible for being so deceptive and out-of-control. _'Not my fault, blame the crystal.'_ My usual mantra lately but one that I suspected Amelia, Claude, and Eric were getting tired of hearing by now.

"I think you and Amelia should leave right away," Claude said, pushing me towards the door. "I'll just hold on to the crystal for now until your head clears and we can talk again without distraction," he said tightly.

"Good idea," Amelia agreed as she followed us to the front door. "I think we've done enough talking for today."

While the future looked brighter, the reality of the substantial Viking-sized obstacle I now faced in the present-day world came crashing down on my head. If there was any hope of resolving things with Eric, I _had_ to have that crystal back. I just knew that he would accept nothing less.

"Claude," I began. "I'm so sorry for everything today, I truly am. But I MUST have the crystal to take home with me. Please. I need to try and explain everything to Eric and he is going to want the crystal so he can destroy it…"

"Destroy the crystal? One of the last remnants of my world? Never!" Claude bellowed. I had never seen him so upset. A proud possessive fairy was no better than a proud possessive vampire, I realized.

"Gotta go," Amelia said quickly as she hustled us out the front door, back to my car in the parking lot. It was time to face the crystal-free future. Why was I certain that this was not going to be easy?

********************

**A/N:** **_Thanks for your patience while I was on vacation these past few weeks. I enjoyed a one-week Caribbean cruise with my family and the ship's captain was named Erik, and he was from Norway (close enough) and you can only imagine the fanfiction scenarios that were running through my head! But I'll have to save those for another story! Anyway, it's good to be back... there's no place like home! Please review and tell me what you thought of this chapter. Hope it was worth the wait. VL1_**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Amelia and I drove back home in silence. There was really nothing more to say at this point. Sookie Stackhouse, recent Kailenian crystal addict, had truly sunk to some personal lows in the past twenty-four hours; I was quite ashamed of myself. If only I had listened to Eric and given him the crystal last night, I would have been _much_ happier right now. Instead, I was facing an uphill battle to make things right with Eric again and a battle with Claude as well. But on the bright side, I also knew that things were going to eventually work out okay. I had seen the future after all, right? The damn crystal had to have been good for something.

It was late afternoon by the time we returned to the house, and I was very tired-- both physically and mentally. Amelia seemed concerned about me and suggested I take a hot bath and a long nap. I had expected her to be more 'I-told-you-so' about how things worked out, but thankfully she wasn't like that at all. And, given how drained I felt, I doubted I had any ability left to block out unwanted thoughts from Amelia's head. I'd have to just hope that her inner voice today was as kind as her outer one.

Putting some distance between me and the crystal helped to clear my mind, and I began to feel a little more like my old self again. Logically, I knew the crystal was bad news but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that some aspects of its powers were still quite appealing to me. I now realized, however, that it definitely wasn't worth the cost to my mental health or relationship with Eric. Obviously my judgment when I was _away_ from the crystal was infinitely better, and I intended to keep it that way-- sane Sookie needed to return. And a sane me wanted Eric's ring more than anything else on this earth, even more than the crystal. But I still had to convince my vampire of that. I had a ton of questions remaining for Claude, if he would ever talk to me again; and the verdict was still out on how I felt about Niall after all this drama. He did love me, and I know he had good intentions, but what's that saying about the road to hell being paved with them?

Amelia and I settled on the couch and talked about the most recent vision I had seen with Claude. I now shared some of the more intimate details of my sexy backyard encounter with Eric. Although Amelia was always interested in the sexual aspects of things, she seemed more fascinated about the future daughter I described to her. So was I, for that matter.

"A little brunette, huh? Since Claude ruled out the crystal helping in the vampire fertility department, I'm thinking adoption," she said matter-of-factly.

"Me, too… although it really doesn't matter how she becomes ours, just that she does," I said, and Amelia agreed wholeheartedly.

"I will love Addie as my own, and so will Eric," I added.

"So, Eric seemed like a good father? He softens in the future?" she asked, a bit surprised.

"I think he's going to be a _wonderful_ father, Amelia. He's been a father before, you know. If only you could have seen him tickling her and kissing her and laughing…" I said, fondly remembering the happy scene.

"And Eric's already _soft_ -- you just don't know him like I do," I said. I expected to hear some crude comeback that related to the idea of hardness, softness, and Eric. But I didn't hear anything from her. Neither inside nor out.

"Well, if you know him so well, tell me how you're going to get back in his good graces, Sookie. A rejected marriage proposal, besides the other issues that happened between you two last night, is a difficult thing for any male to recover from—_especially_ a male with an ego as big as Eric's," she said assuredly.

I was listening to what she said, but I had a sinking feeling that something had changed. This time I made a more conscious effort to try and listen in to Amelia's thoughts, but I all I got was silence again. It was like having a mental conversation with a vampire. Nothing.

"I can't hear you, Amelia," I said, somewhat stunned.

"What?" and she continued in a louder voice, thinking I was referring to her volume. "I said that with Eric's big ego, you're going to…"

"No," I interrupted her, "I mean I can't hear your _thoughts_."

Her mouth and eyes opened wide, and she said aloud what I was already thinking. "The crystal, maybe? Do you think it did this to you somehow?"

"Yes, but I doubt it's permanent," I decided.

I had used the crystal for a long period today, and combined with the several attempts yesterday, maybe it had led to this? I suspected that I'd need to use it more often, maybe even daily, to prolong the effect. Sort of like moisturizer, I supposed.

"And now that Claude has the crystal, I don't have a way to keep things like this once the results fade," I said with mixed feelings.

"Well, however long it lasts, just try to enjoy it," Amelia encouraged, and she stood up from the couch, leaving me to ponder this latest development. "It's what you've always wanted, right, Sookie?" she asked rhetorically before heading up the stairs.

And I was left alone with _my _thoughts, and no one else's, for a change.

After years of enduring and bemoaning my disability, POOF, it was suddenly gone. I was _normal_ and just like everyone else now. Nothing special. Although I was certain my telepathy would return at some point, it was still a surprising outcome and one I would need time to adjust to. Could Niall have anticipated this? Was this another unexpected side effect of the crystal, or was it an intentional 'gift' that my great-grandfather thought I'd enjoy? I was getting pretty tired of trying to understand Niall's motivations already. So tired, in fact, that I needed a nap to try and help me recover from my stress. I hoped that when I awoke, I would be more refreshed and able to think clearly about what to do next.

*************

It was almost 8 PM when I sat up in my bed. My head was throbbing and I was still tired—my nap had been a fitful one, full of upsetting thoughts and scenarios concerning Eric, me, and the crystal. I had come to one important conclusion, however: no matter how much I dreaded confronting Eric, I needed to do it sooner rather than later. The longer he thought about what happened between us last night, the harder it was going to be to set things right. I was determined to make him understand my true feelings, to explain why I acted and said what I did, and to even beg for forgiveness if I had to. I was certain that when I told him about our future together as parents, he would _soften_ (as Amelia liked to say). The major problem, however, was that I no longer had the crystal in my possession. Eric had been adamant about handing it over to him, so I knew I would have to do some smooth talking concerning that issue.

I quickly showered to wake myself up and looked in my closet for something appropriate to wear to Fangtasia. It was Sunday and I was sure Eric would be working tonight since he had taken off work last night; I hoped that he would be less angry and more receptive to me in a public place. Of course, our conversation would need to be a private one back in his office, but he certainly wouldn't cause a big scene out in the bar, right? I was banking on it.

I stood in front of my closet, deciding my clothing options. Standing there reminded me yet again of the crystal which I had so desperately tried to hide in this very spot yesterday, at this very time. I saw the beautiful new red dress hanging there, another painful reminder of how much I had screwed up things in such a short period of time. I tried to focus on the task at hand and decided to wear a new outfit I had recently bought myself: a simple black skirt and a cute red top with a sweetheart neckline. Not too provocative yet still a little sexy. I didn't want Eric to think I was trying to seduce or manipulate him tonight. I already had enough obstacles to overcome.

I stood before my mirror after I had dressed and suddenly had a weird feeling of deja-vu about the clothes, almost like I had worn this outfit before. Of course that was silly, since I still had the tags on them. I chalked it up to yet another weird effect of the crystal and prayed that nothing else in my head had gotten messed up today. I didn't think I could handle any more surprises.

I told Amelia where I was going and she wished me luck. As I drove to Shreveport, I decided to call Claude from my cell phone. I wanted to know where things stood with the crystal before facing Eric. Claude was either not home or not answering my call, so I left an apologetic message on his answering machine. I would have to deal with him some other time.

When I pulled into the parking lot, I saw that it was packed this evening. I gave myself a mental pep talk as I headed for the employee entrance; I had stopped using the front door long ago. The first thing that struck me when I entered the building was the absolute quietness surrounding me. Of course there was loud music and talking and shouting from the customers, but my head was blissfully tranquil with mental silence. I looked around for Eric but his 'throne' was empty at the moment. I reached through the bond to try and find him and gauge his mood, but I faced silence there as well. Was he even here this evening? Or worse, had the crystal affected our blood bond, too?

I headed to the bar and nursed a gin and tonic as I made small talk with Fangtasia's newest bartender. His nickname was Snake, and he had the most elaborate tattoos to prove it. I had met him on previous occasions and he seemed to be popular with the customers. I casually asked if Eric was around tonight and he pointed to a corner table where Eric sat alone with a bottle of blood. I watched for a few minutes as Fangbangers would periodically approach him, but one of his menacing looks would send them scurrying. Our eyes finally met and his steely cold glare sent chills down my spine. Again I tried to reach him through the bond, but he was closed off to me. I turned back to my drink and downed it, hoping to gain some liquid courage before facing him.

No more delaying this, I told myself. I said goodbye to Snake and headed for Eric and his anger, rehearsing what I was going to say to him tonight. As I passed a nearby table, I noticed a middle-aged man who looked familiar to me. Our eyes connected briefly before he stood up and headed to the bar, but I had a strange feeling that I had seen him before. I tried to 'hear' him but he was as silent to me as everyone else this evening.

I finally reached Eric's table and the pain and hurt he was feeling was palpable, even without a bond to tell me so. I looked at his stone-like facial features and the hard set to his jawline, and I realized there was nothing _soft_ about the cold vampire before me tonight. Without asking, I sat down across from him and attempted to rest my hand on his arm in a gesture of comfort, but he abruptly pulled away from me and let out a low hiss.

"Why are you here, Sookie?" he demanded in a hard, bitter voice. And I knew our future happiness together depended on the answer I was about to give him.


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry about any confusion yesterday after I pulled this chapter. I think everything is working again so I have reposted Chapter 10 here. Enjoy!

**_A/N:_****_ Let me take a few lines to say thank you, thank you, thank you for the tremendous support and attention you have given this story. I am honored to have such a staggering number of alerts and favorites listings, and thank you also for the (gracious and) plentiful reviews! I appreciate your feedback and encouragement. It motivates me SO much to know that you are enjoying my writing! And now… a very long chapter for you._**

**CHAPTER 10**

**Eric POV**

"Why are you here?" I asked harshly as Sookie, uninvited and unwelcome, sat across from me. She had tried to soothe me by caressing my arm, but in my present state of mind I would have none of it. I glared at her, more than ready to reciprocate the pain she had recently caused me and then some.

I was surprised she had shown up here tonight, so soon after our falling out; then again, her unpredictability was one of the things I had always found interesting about her. But since our blood-bonding, I was much less surprised by her actions and could better gauge her emotions. Yet here she was, sitting before me, and I had not sensed her presence tonight because of my own recent actions. After I left her house last night, upset beyond reason, I had blocked our bond to the best of my ability. It had become too agonizing to remain connected to her. This evening I had initiated more formal measures to sever our union. Permanently.

She looked beautiful to me, as always, but from her face it was evident she was tense and fatigued. Even without the bond's aid, I could sense her apprehension and fear; I was unsure if it was fear of me or of the 'discussion' I was certain she wanted to have tonight. She reeked of fairy, which meant she had either been around her cousin recently or had used the cursed crystal again. It was an intense strain to my willpower to simply sit at the same table with her.

She was smart to choose Fangtasia to make her approach tonight. She knew I would never willingly cause a public scene in my bar in front of my workers, my subjects, my customers. But it took every ounce of my self-control not to jump across the table and strangle her. Tightly. Or jump across the table and fuck her. Savagely. Sookie had gotten under my skin like no other creature during my long existence, and after last night, I was ready to finally be done with her and end this torture and frustration.

"Why are you here?" I repeated when she didn't respond the first time. She looked like she was carefully choosing her response, as if anything she could say to me now would make a difference.

"I came to apologize, Eric. You were absolutely right… I should have given you the crystal, I should have listened to your warnings, and I should have accepted your engagement ring…" she said before I cut her off.

I needed no reminder of my lapse in judgment last night: the extensive preparations for our special evening together, the perfect outfit, the perfect ring... mistakes I would certainly _never_ make again.

"Enough!" I said too loudly, causing the curious bar patrons to focus their attention on us. I glowered at the onlookers and they quickly turned their stares elsewhere.

"It is too late for your apologies," I said bitterly.

"No, Eric, it's not too late at all," she replied. "I have seen the future and I know now that we _will_ be together -- everything will be okay and we'll be happy, so happy," she said, hoping that would satisfy me, hoping that would be enough.

"I refuse to waste my time with a woman who relies on a crystal and not her heart to guide her future," I said coldly. She looked at me with wide, shocked eyes, eyes which then began to fill with tears. Fuck. I cannot stand it when she cries.

"Eric," she said as she tried to compose herself. "I _am_ following my heart now. Please, Eric," she begged. "I'm sorry. I love you," she said sniffling. She was doing her best to hold back her tears and appear strong, but her voice was shaky. This was obviously not going as she planned.

"You are such a child, sometimes," I said disdainfully. "You think that saying you are sorry can just fix this, Sookie? Can you fix your stubbornness? Can you fix your lack of common sense? Can you fix your lack of trust in me?"

My voice escalated in anger with each successive point. I was losing control of my emotions, in the middle of Fangtasia, no less. But I had to get through to her and make her realize how much she hurt me. I stood up quickly and then leaned down, just inches from her face, trying to look menacing as I ignored her intoxicating fairy essence. We stared at each other, neither one of us able to move or speak. Her eyes pleaded with me for forgiveness; but I was still struggling with my impossible, irrational love for her, and my intense, darker desire to keep punishing her. It was a battle whose outcome was yet to be decided.

"Eric," a familiar voice beside me said, breaking the spell. "Master, perhaps you and Sookie would like to continue your discussion in your office?" Pam suggested. She quickly realized that our very public conflict was bad for my status, as well as business, and was wisely trying to minimize the damage.

"That won't be necessary, Pam," I sneered, my darker side claiming victory. "Sookie was just leaving," I said as I pulled her roughly from her chair and started dragging my stunned former lover to the front entrance.

Sookie turned to me with her characteristic spunk, all traces of fear gone from her, anger fueling her actions now.

"Get your vampire hands off of me, NOW!" she shouted defiantly as she struggled to break free from my grip.

"I am still your pledged wife and your bonded, and I demand that you treat me with some respect, _Master_ Eric!" she said sarcastically at full volume.

She was intentionally causing a scene, hoping I would give in quickly to avoid the attention she was drawing to us. Smart.

"I ask only that you give me fifteen minutes of your valuable time, privately, so that we can clear up a few things between us," she said quite loudly, illustrating to the many onlookers how reasonable she was compared to me. Smarter.

I reluctantly let her go and she said a curt 'thank you' before stomping off to my office.

Fuck. I had no choice but to follow her. I steeled my resolve to remain cold and distant, but being alone with her tonight would be the ultimate challenge to my willpower.

I still loved her. And hated her.

**Sookie POV**

I knew I had just bested Eric by my public outburst but what would happen now, behind closed doors, still remained to be seen. I had expected him to be angry and upset with me, but not so… hateful. Part of me knew I deserved everything he dished out to me tonight but I was still shocked and outraged at his humiliating 'handling' of me just now. During our encounter, I had desperately tried several times to reach out to him through the bond, but I could feel nothing. Nothing at all.

I knew him well enough to realize he was battling some intense feelings, probably including the desire to kill me. Maybe I was stupid to think so, but I still felt safe and confident that he wouldn't physically hurt me. He was certainly doing a good enough job of that emotionally.

Before I had time to gather my thoughts, he stood behind me in his office and motioned me towards the couch. He sat behind his desk and pushed back on his chair, his nostrils flaring. He was obviously tying to put some distance between us. Neither of us spoke for a few minutes – and that was a good thing. It gave me time to think about how to proceed from here.

Eric finally broke the silence with sarcasm. "That was a stellar performance you just gave out there. Are you proud of yourself, Sookie?" He looked at me coldly.

"Not especially," I answered truthfully. In fact, I had very few proud moments to recall recently. "Are _you _proud of your actions just now, Eric? Does it make you happy to know you've hurt me, too?" He wouldn't answer or even look at me. He tried to busy himself with papers on his desk.

"Eric, will you at least listen to what I have to say?" I asked. "Please?" He met my eyes and slowly nodded. He had a pained expression on his face, though.

I tried to repair the damage. "I am so sorry and I would say it a thousand times if it would make you feel any better, but I can see that it won't. I know I screwed things up but the only excuse I can give you is that I wasn't myself. The crystal made me act in crazy ways, I know that, but I just couldn't help myself, Eric. I was an addict," I admitted.

"That's not good enough for me," he said tersely.

"I know it's not. But you yourself told me how the crystal affected Gildran, how it consumed him. Why can't you accept that the same thing happened to me? It was out of my control, Eric," I said, hoping to reason with him.

"No, it wasn't," Eric replied, his voice tighter and sharper. "Gildran was a prisoner who was _forced _to use the crystal against his will. I suspect he possessed the stone for many years before that, yet he somehow managed to keep his sanity during that time. You had the crystal for one day, under your own will, and you lost all reason and self-control. Why were you so helpless, Sookie? Why?" he asked.

"I don't know why, Eric, but I was. Gildran had more Fae blood than me, he could handle it better than I could, I guess," I said defensively. It was the only excuse I could think of.

"No!" he snarled. "It's more than that. You could see how it was affecting you, but you chose to be more curious than cautious. Despite my warnings, despite my begging, you did not have enough faith and trust in me and my years of experience to listen. And that _was_ under your control. You could have given the crystal to your witch of a roommate, you could have given the crystal to me… but you made your choice and now you must live with it," he said in a low growl.

So that was the underlying problem among many ones here tonight: my apparent 'choice' of Niall's crystal over Eric's ring.

"I didn't actually choose the crystal, Eric. You gave me a ridiculous ultimatum that I should never have had to make. It wasn't fair," I whined, even though I didn't fully believe that.

"Do not talk to me about fairness, Sookie," he said indignantly. "You didn't choose _me_, remember? Was that fair? And now you are here, along with the fucking crystal I presume, ready to 'make up' and pretend none of this happened. Am I correct?" he hissed, piercing my heart even more.

"Not exactly," I said. This was the part that couldn't be avoided. "I mean, of course I would like to make up with you, I want nothing else but to put this behind us. But... I no longer have the crystal, Eric," I admitted.

He raised his eyebrows, waiting for me to say more.

"Claude helped me to use the crystal today, one last time, and...," I struggled with how to say this.

"He will be keeping it for me from now on," I said. It was technically the truth. There was no need to explain how things ended so badly.

"He's keeping it for you? For what reason? So if you decide next month to use it again, you simply call him up for a repeat performance?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief.

"No, it's not like that, Eric. The crystal is rare and a part of his Fae heritage; it should stay with a fairy and not end up at the bottom of some ocean," I said, and he scoffed.

"It will be fine in Claude's safekeeping, Eric. And I promise that I will NEVER try to use it again," I said solemnly.

"Why should I believe you? You even admitted that you are an _addict_. You say one thing now and next week you will change your mind when you are curious about wanting to 'see' something else," he said matter-of-factly.

I hated to admit that he might be right about that. But I was sure that Claude would never let me near the crystal, so my willpower would never be put to the test again.

"I won't change my mind, Eric. You have to believe me. And there's so much more that you don't know about the crystal. Good things that it can do, and helpful things, too. But I don't care any more. I am willing to give it all up for you," I said, hoping he could see my sincerity. And I wanted him to know that I was making a sacrifice here.

He gave a short laugh. "What good could possibly come from the crystal? Have you fallen so much under its influence that you actually think it is 'helpful' now?"

"Eric, it can help me live longer. Much longer. Think of how much time we could have together…" I looked to him but he shook his head. "And full fairies can use it to locate people in the present," I continued. "Niall used the crystal to help find me when…" I wasn't sure how to say this without sounding accusatory.

"When _what_?" Eric asked, suddenly very interested in what I had to say.

"When I was kidnapped by Lochlan and Naeve. So you can thank the crystal for helping to rescue me, Eric," I said. "Even when _you_ couldn't," I added, just to be spiteful. He hissed loudly at the implication, but it felt good for the moment to hurt him back.

Eric stood up, his anger ready to boil over again. "We have had this discussion before and you _know_ why I was unable to come rescue you. You accepted my explanation, Sookie. We are _done_ with this issue," he said in such an authoritative tone that I had no choice but to agree with him.

"Back to the issue at hand: the crystal. It cannot remain anywhere near you," he decided. "You must retrieve it from Claude and bring it back to me," he said.

I was really caught between a rock and a hard place.

"Well, what if Claude won't give it back to me? I promised him he could keep it and I don't think he would willingly part with it at this point…"

"That is _your_ problem, then," Eric said with a wicked smile. He then looked at his watch before coming to stand before me.

"Your fifteen minutes are up." He motioned to the office door.

"I'm not going anywhere, Eric. There is so much more to discuss," I said firmly. Nothing had been resolved and I had yet to tell him the details about our wonderful future together.

"I'll give you a choice again, Sookie. You can leave now on your own, or I can throw you out," he snarled. And I believed him.

"Okay, okay, Eric, I'll go. But not before I tell you one more thing," I pleaded.

He walked back to his desk, sat down and busied himself with papers again before acknowledging my request. "Go ahead," he finally said as coolly as possible, pushing the papers aside. He looked to me and I knew I needed to make an impressive exit.

I walked to the front of his desk and tried to steady my voice. I refused to cry in front of him.

"I've said this before, but _I am sorry_, Eric. I know I hurt you and I deserve your anger. But I also know that you still love me, no matter how tough and pissed off you are acting tonight. And I know that we have a future together -- not because of a vision, but because I know it in my _heart_. But I have seen the future, too, and it's wonderful, Eric. We'll have a beautiful daughter and a happy life together."

I paused to see if my words had made an impact, but he didn't react at all. I leaned over and kissed his cheek lightly which, surprisingly, he let me do.

"I am yours and always will be," I whispered before I headed to the door and softly closed it behind me.

By the time I made it to the parking lot, I was bawling from the intensity of the evening. Just because a happy ending was waiting for me down the road, it didn't mean that the path to get there was going to be an easy one. I understood Eric's pain and regretted having caused so much of it for both of us. I tried one last time to see if our connection had returned, but the bond was as silent as my head. I had never felt so alone with my own thoughts and feelings. I actually missed my telepathy for the first time in my life.

As I leaned against my car, I searched through my purse for my keys and a tissue. I stood there for a few minutes, trying to glean something positive from what had happened tonight. Eric hadn't killed me; that was positive. He let me kiss him and didn't throw me out of his office. He also wanted me to bring the crystal back to him, so he must want to see me again, right? If he was truly done with me, why would he care what happened to the crystal now?

It would simply take time for him to heal. Someday, when we were together and happy in our little family, this whole episode would merely be a bad bump in the road to happiness. In the meanwhile, I would have to be satisfied knowing that it would all work out. Someday.

I fumbled with my keys and heard a slight noise behind me, a little too late. Before I knew what was happening, a strong hand clamped over my mouth and then another forced a foul-smelling cloth over my nose. I tried to fight and resist, doing my best not to breathe in the chloroform. But before I knew it, everything went dark.

When I awoke, groggy and bound, I was certain I would find myself in the abandoned warehouse from my vision. My current situation, the familiar clothes, and the familiar man from Fangtasia were all part of what I had briefly witnessed before. If the future played out the way I remembered from the crystal, it was just a matter of time now until Eric came to save me. But could he save himself?

*****************

**A/N:** This is the first time I have ever attempted to write from Eric's POV, but I felt it would be insightful for this conversation. I hope both points of view seemed credible here and added more understanding to this chapter. Let me know what you think.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Based on the huge number of reviews last chapter, I was so pleased you enjoyed Eric's point of view! So I incorporated it once more in this chapter, where it really is needed. Enjoy these two chapters in one! VL1

**Chapter 11**

**Sookie POV**

I could tell it was daylight because the warehouse skylights were casting beams across the room. I was bound and gagged and my throat was killing me. I would have gladly sold my soul for a glass of water, but I was alone in my prison and unable to negotiate with the devil. I looked around, trying to find clues to my location but the area around me was mostly vacant, and the few items left were nondescript. The one thing that did catch my attention, however, was the silver net left casually in the corner. Panicked by the knowledge of what that meant for Eric, I struggled with the strong rope that tightly restrained my arms behind me. My futile attempt only led to more pain and frustration, however.

Left in my solitude, I had nothing else to do but ponder my current situation. Who had kidnapped me and why? What did they want? Would everything from my vision come true? I hoped the part about Eric rescuing me remained the same, but I obviously hoped for a much different, happier ending to this ordeal. I desperately searched my mind to remember every little detail from the brief vision-- something that might help me, or at least give me hope.

I tried my best to calm my growing fear and tried reaching through the bond again for Eric. Nothing. Not even a slight connection. Maybe I was too far away to feel him. Of course, he would be dead to the world right now so maybe that was the reason, too. But I had a sinking feeling that the real explanation had something to do with the crystal. Yet another bad side effect. Not only had Niall failed to include an instruction manual with his 'thoughtful' gift, but a BIG warning label apparently would have been appropriate as well.

The fact that it was daytime now meant that at least one evening had passed since I was taken. How would Eric ever find me when he awoke? Had he tried to last night? Would he even _want _to find me after what happened between us? I still trusted in my vision and the crystal, sure that everything would come to pass as presented. Eric would find me somehow. We would have our happily ever after someday. The reality of an alternative ending was too much for me to accept.

I wondered how I came to be here. If I was carried through the Fangtasia parking lot to a car, wouldn't someone have noticed? Maybe. Surely Amelia would realize that I never came home last night. Maybe. She might assume I stayed at Eric's, 'making-up.' Certainly Eric would have sensed I was abducted. An even bigger Maybe.

My thoughts lingered on Eric and our heated conversation before I left him. I had never seen him so angry and bitter in his dealings with me. Last night he was ready to physically throw me out of the bar. Twice! I had witnessed the darker, threatening side of him on several occasions before, particularly during the fueled blood-lust of battle, but it had never been directed at_ me_. I had known it would be difficult getting him to forgive me, but I never imagined it would be impossible. I hoped and prayed that my talk of our future daughter and my final declaration of being '_HIS_' would be enough to turn the tide. Vampires are so damn possessive.

How could I escape from this? I couldn't see my purse anywhere in the vast room; that eliminated the possibility of my cell phone helping me. I couldn't scream for help. I couldn't even move. Much. Although I was secured to the chair, the chair was not secured to the floor. I tried to hop a little as I wiggled around, hoping the chair would move with me. It started to budge an inch but not much more; it was a pretty heavy chair. I continued to use my bound feet for leverage and very slowly started a path towards the door. At the rate I was going, it would take hours to reach it and then what? My captors might be standing right outside the door, waiting for me. But at least it was a goal, and it helped my mind to stop thinking about Eric.

As my progress continued at a snail's pace, I decided to put more zeal into my efforts. Unfortunately, I lost my balance when I tried to thrust forward a little too hard. I fell onto my side with a loud thud, the very heavy chair still attached to me. I was sure I had bruised the entire right side of my body as I lay there, panting and pitiful. I had no choice but to remain lying, utterly defeated, on the warehouse floor. And that is exactly where my abductor found me when he came into the building a short time later. He looked to be younger than I had first thought last night in Fangtasia—maybe late 30's, with jet-black hair, dark brooding eyes and a pale complexion. He almost seemed vampiric, and he was highly amused by my predicament.

"What have we got here?" he asked, with a sly grin. "Goin' somewhere?"

He laughed and roughly righted the chair and me to an upright position again. He then stood behind me, clamping down on my shoulders to drag me and the chair back to our starting point. I let out a muffled cry from the pain.

"I need you right here, where your bloodsucker boyfriend can see you, nice and helpless," he sneered.

He came around to face me and took out a long knife I hadn't noticed before, the familiar knife I knew he was going to stab Eric with at some future time. He held it against my throat and leaned in closer to whisper his words. The effect was chilling.

"What happened to your vampire last night, sugar?" he said softly in a thick Southern accent. "I thought for sure he would come runnin' after his little girlfriend. I have a little _surprise_ for him when he finally does," he said and pushed the knife harder against my throat, cutting my skin slightly. I tried not to move, but my nerves were making me shake and press against the blade. Maybe my future was not going to happen as planned, after all.

My cries were muted though the gag but were obvious, nonetheless.

"What? You tryin' to say something to me, darlin'?" he asked dramatically.

He stepped back from me, removing the knife as he did so, and I could feel my heart racing inside my chest. I nodded 'yes' and mumbled a little, hoping he would remove the gag to let me catch my breath.

"I'm not sure I want to hear _anything_ you got to say to me. You're no better than my Becky, you fangbangin' whore," he spat, his brooding eyes now blazing with fury. Talk about mood swings.

"Becky thought them vamps was better than me. And it's all your vamp boyfriend's fault," he hissed.

Becky. Becky. Who the _hell_ was she? And what did she have to do with Eric?

"You and me got a date with a big, bad vampire. Soon, sugar, soon," he continued as he smiled. He slowly ran the blade down my arm, not breaking the skin, just teasing me, tormenting me. My blood ran cold.

My mind scrambled to make sense of the situation, and I desperately tried to read the crazy man's thoughts. But nothing had changed since yesterday; this human was utterly silent to me, thanks to the damn crystal. I didn't readily admit to it, but my 'special' ability was often helpful in life-or-death situations like this. I never realized how much I had come to rely on both my telepathy and the blood-bond to help keep me safe from danger. I had been fighting both things for so long -- and now they were gone. I blamed myself, yet again, for my own stupidity in using the crystal in the first place. Look at the heartache it had brought to me and Eric.

And here I was, totally defenseless and weak, and that seemed to be just the way my captor liked it.

**Eric POV**

As Sookie closed the door behind her, I sat and stared at the couch where she had sat just moments before. Despite the 'heartless bastard' portrayal she had just witnessed, my treatment of her had been extremely difficult to carry out. It would have been much easier to simply forgive her, kiss and make up, and resume our relationship. But easiest was not always best. I could see how my words and actions hurt and surprised her tonight; but she needed to get over the idea of 'us' and move on. How could she ever do that, though, with the notion in her head that we had a definite 'future' together? Damn Niall and his crystal. I blamed him even more than Sookie for this mess. She was human and weak, after all, and subject to temptation. He was a goddamn tricky fairy trying to be 'helpful' and 'thoughtful.' Emotions always fucked things up.

I had made my fateful decision last night after leaving her house, and I was determined to see it through to the end. 'Weak' was the last thing in the world I ever wanted to be considered. And Sookie continually left me feeling that way. Even in happier times, her love had always been a liability to me, but one I had been willing to risk. We are always ready to risk for those we love. When she was mine, I would have done anything for her; and just hearing her say tonight that she still was and would always be mine gave me a hard-on. This weakness _had_ to end.

I remained secluded in my office well after the bar had closed and everyone had left. Pam had given me a knowing look earlier when she came to say goodbye to me. I could tell she wanted to voice her opinion about my public disagreement with Sookie, but I gave her a stern glare and she had the sense to stay quiet and leave quickly.

I tried to look through some recent invoices to distract myself, but it didn't work. My thoughts returned to the crystal and the visions Sookie had seen.

No matter how strong my resolve, her glimpse into our future left me doubting my current course of action. Would we have a family someday, just as she had seen? A beautiful daughter, she said. And we would be happy. Could the path to that destiny be changed? Maybe my painful actions now were just a futile attempt to deny what was going to happen anyway -- what was fated for us. I was tired of this inner struggle and of trying to make sense of things I did not understand.

I finally pushed away from my desk, having accomplished nothing with my paperwork, and headed out the back door to my car. I quickly scanned the parking area, out of habit. Only one car remained in the lot, besides my own: Sookie's. Had her piece-of-crap car broken down? Was she waiting to talk to me again at this late hour? I doubted either of those scenarios. My inner 'danger' radar went on high alert and I cautiously approached, already suspecting that the car would be empty. I was disturbed to find Sookie's handbag lying near the driver's door, its contents spilled onto the pavement.

I sniffed and could identify another human's scent mixed with the lingering fairy essence of Sookie. There was something else, too -- something faint. A trace of a sweet aroma that reminded me of a bygone era. Ether? Chloroform? I could not be sure, given how much time must have passed since its use this evening. The fact that its scent was here at all raised warning flags for me -- this could not be good. My inner desire and need to protect and save what was once MINE rose to the surface, beyond my control.

I walked around the perimeter of her car, trying to detect a path to follow; but the various human and vampire scents in the area all mingled together, leading me nowhere. I spread out to the other sections of the lot but realized it was pointless. The trail ran cold. Without hesitating, I opened up our blood-bond again, certain that enough still remained intact to start me in the right direction. Nothing. I slammed the hood of her car in frustration, denting it badly. Fuck! How could our strong connection be nonexistent already? I had been led to understand that the weakening would be a gradual process, ultimately requiring Sookie's participation to completely sever our bond. Yet it was completely gone now -- I could not feel a thing from her. Something was not right.

I flew around the area, circling perhaps five miles of Fangtasia, but could pick up no clues to her whereabouts. I returned to Sookie's car and picked up the spilled contents of her handbag: a crumpled tissue, red cell phone, keys, wallet, brush, pen, lip gloss, pepper spray (obviously not helpful enough) and a small ring box. I paused, looking at the last item, wondering what could possibly be inside. Was she going to offer me a ring, perhaps? In this modern day of women's equality, was _she_ planning on proposing marriage? After rejecting me? My curiosity got the better of me and I opened the box.

What I found inside surprised me: a single bullet, wiped clean, although I could detect the faint remnants of blood. I sniffed deeper and realized it was MY blood. How could this be? I thought back to at least three instances when I had taken a bullet to protect Sookie; had she saved one of them? Why? I knew the answer but could not admit to myself the depth of her feelings for me. And mine for her.

I placed the saved bullet in my jeans pocket, a small reminder of our previous connection. I began pacing the length of the car, feeling helpless and responsible for Sookie. And hating myself for it. She was in need of my rescuing and I was going to fail her. Again. My rash actions to break the bond had left me powerless to sense Sookie and locate her. What if she was tortured and abused again? She might never recover this time. What if she was killed? The realization that Sookie might be gone, permanently, was overwhelming. I slumped to the ground next to her car, grasping her belongings, trying to inhale her scent as a reminder of what might be lost to me forever.

Fuck my resolve and determination to end this all. Giving her up would be true weakness; it was far harder to stay and work this out, than to walk away.

I closed my eyes and tried to put aside the emotion that was clouding my judgment. Help. I needed help. And I was man enough to admit it. I refused to call the police; their methods would be too inept and their justice too 'fair.' Nothing less than tearing apart her assailants, limb by limb, would satisfy me. Would Compton still have any connection to her? Our bonding and more recent pledging would outweigh any long ago blood exchange with him. But with the bond not working, could Compton be of use now?

I stayed in the same position all night, trying to find a solution. Dawn began to make its first appearance. I would need to head back into the office, to my emergency resting place, to sleep out the day. I stood up reluctantly, taking Sookie's handbag and belongings with me. I thought back to the fucking crystal once more, cursing its ability to harm more than help. And that is when it struck me: the 'helpful' power of the crystal. The power that had been able to locate her before and would be able to locate her again. And I needed a fairy to help me do it. I quickly searched through her cell phone's address book, located 'Claude Crane,' and pressed SEND.

As the call went through, I fingered Sookie's saved bullet in my pocket.

This time I _would_ rescue what was mine.


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N**__: Well… pardon the pun, but I was going to try and 'gift wrap' it all up for you in this chapter, but I just couldn't do it. This story will definitely conclude, though, by the next chapter (#13). I've already written an Epilogue to follow the ending, so it shouldn't take me too long to finish up where this chapter leaves off. Look for my final update soon!_

**Chapter 12**

The rest of the afternoon passed in much the same way as the morning: my kidnapper would tease me with his knife and taunt me with his words. At one point, he abruptly untied me from the chair and briskly led me to an outside hallway, his knife against my throat the entire time. I panicked that he was going to do something horrible to me, but he pushed me into a small, filthy bathroom instead. I mumbled and begged with my eyes for him to untie my hands; the thought of him 'helping' me in this situation was even more repulsive than my surroundings. He loosened the ropes but still left me gagged, threatening me with all types of unpleasant scenarios should I attempt to escape. The threats were gruesome, and I was sufficiently scared enough to believe him. I used the facilities as quickly as possible while under his leering, watchful eye, all sense of modesty gone by now.

My side still hurt considerably from my earlier fall with the chair, and I suspected it was badly bruised. My throat was dry and parched, and my jaw felt numb from the gag being in my mouth for so long. I walked back slowly, trying to buy myself more time to plan something, anything that might help me. My captor led me to the main warehouse and pushed me roughly into the chair. As he crouched behind me to retie my hands and secure me to the seat again, his arms and fingers brushed against mine. The skin contact sent little jolts through me, and I was able to catch brief glimpses into his head. It wasn't much, but at least it was something. Was my telepathy finally returning? I sure hoped so.

His thoughts were angry and vengeful— I could pick up his overwhelming need to 'make the vampire pay.' He was having a hard time with the rope and muttered a few choice curse words aloud before I was able to grasp some more from his thoughts. I saw an image of a young fair-haired woman, covered in blood, who looked quite dead by my estimation. It sent a chill down my spine. Then the horrific picture was gone.

"It's gettin' dark, sugar," he drawled after he finished his rope work. "You think this is gonna be _the night_?" He laughed as he walked to the corner where the silver net lay, ready for its victim.

Yes, I did think this was going to be the night. Something life-altering was about to happen, either to me or Eric, or both of us -- and I hoped that I was ready to face what the future had in store.

I willed myself to look at the man and see what he was doing. He lifted the net and swung it around as if practicing his butterfly-catching. He then picked up some small votives and matches from the floor, items I had missed upon my earlier scan of the room. Lighting a few candles, he placed them around the warehouse, enough to aid his vision as the sunlight faded. He would need the light if he hoped to try and match visual abilities with a vampire.

Time slowly passed. It was well after sundown now so we just waited for my rescuer to come and save me. How could my captor be sure I was going to be rescued by Eric, anyway? _I_ wasn't even sure I was going to be rescued by Eric, and I had seen a vision of it. Did the man send a ransom note or call Fangtasia or something? I sat there, bound and gagged, powerless to do anything else but wait. Maybe if I could hear something else from my captor's head, it might give me some advantage, some knowledge to help me. I tried to reach him but we were no longer in physical contact; and given the man's distance from me, my fragile telepathic powers were too weak to be of any use.

Slivers of moonlight shone through the skylights above me, and along with the candlelight, it cast eerie shadows along the walls. My assailant crouched in the corner with his net and his knife, hidden and waiting. It was an image I recalled too vividly from my vision, and I knew now that there was nothing I could do to change the course of events. We continued to wait for it all to play out.

At some point, I felt faint stirrings within me that were all too familiar. It was Eric, trying to reach me through the bond. A small wave of comfort and relief washed over me when I could sense my vampire nearby. The connection was weak but it was there, nonetheless. After a quick glance at my captor, I closed my eyes and focused my energy to send back my feelings through the recovering bond. Could I warn Eric somehow? Would he know it was a trap? Would he even be able to sense my concerns?

I could feel Eric's emotions getting stronger; he must be closer now or else the bond was strengthening. Anger, frustration, and blind rage were guiding him, not his usual caution and pragmatism; it was a recipe for disaster. Moments later, the door burst open and Eric stood towering before me, unaware of the approaching danger, his eyes filled with relief at finding me alive. Just as in my vision, I struggled in vain, shook my head and gestured to the corner, but I knew it would be too late. Again. The madman leaped from the shadows, blindsiding Eric with the silver net. Eric was much taller than his attacker, but the touch of the silver against my vampire's body caused him to bend over in agony. My captor quickly moved in, covering Eric's head and upper body with the net. My bonded fell to his knees, weakened, and the crazed man began his assault with the knife. I watched in horror, again, as Eric was stabbed over and over while I tried to scream and wish it all away.

Suddenly, another figure was in the room with us: Claude. He lunged for the man and wrestled him off of Eric, causing loud cries of pain to ring out. Caught up in the frenzy before me, I was unsure who the screams came from, but I hoped they weren't Eric's. Claude dragged the doomed man to a corner and proceeded to apply some impressive punching moves which left the man unconscious. Or dead. I wasn't positive of the outcome at this point.

I grunted and moaned to catch Claude's attention, reminding him about Eric's ongoing crisis. The smell of burning vampire flesh was making me nauseous and Claude rushed to remove the net, trying to bring Eric some relief. My cousin then pulled out the bloody knife still lodged in Eric's abdomen and came over to cut away my restraints. I used my free hands to remove the gag and rushed to kneel before my vampire. He looked beyond help.

"Oh my, God, Eric, Eric, please be alright," I started crying as I threw myself across his bloody body. He was unresponsive and if he _was_ healing, it wasn't obvious to me.

"It's okay, Sookie. He's a vampire. I'm sure he will heal in time," Claude said a bit off-handedly. He squatted beside me. "Are you okay? Did that lunatic hurt you?" he asked, much more interested in my welfare that Eric's.

I shook my head to let Claude know I was fine as I continued to sob and cling to Eric. I moved to caress his burned face and kissed him as he lay there. A slight moaning came from his lips, but his eyes remained shut.

"I'm so sorry, Eric. Everything's my fault. Please forgive me," I said. I cried inconsolably as I rested my head on his chest. I was covered in Eric's blood but I didn't care. I just wanted my happily ever after: a daughter on Eric's shoulders, a birthday picnic in my backyard, a kiss with Eric under the moonlight-- just like I had seen in my vision. Why wouldn't it come true for me?

As I lay there clutching Eric, my cousin sat down next to us, saying nothing but rubbing my back in comfort. It was a surprisingly sympathetic gesture for Claude and I turned to look at him.

"He's not going to get better, Claude, is he?" I asked, sniffling. He shrugged his shoulders as if Eric's future was of no importance to him. And it wasn't, really; but it was enormously important to me. I tried to reach through our bond to send my love and regret, but the connection was almost as weak as Eric.

"How did you find me?" I asked Claude as I continued to stroke Eric's arm.

"Eric called me this morning before dawn. But I didn't listen to the message until this evening." He looked a little ashamed. "I saw the call was from your cell and I didn't want to answer it after what happened between us. I'm sorry, Sookie. I should have been here sooner." He looked away.

"No, Claude, _I'm_ the one who is sorry. You were right about me using Claudine as an excuse to use the crystal again. It was a horrible thing to do," I said, crying again. I hated myself. Just thinking about the crystal brought back a flood of guilt, and I could almost feel those urges again -- the compulsion to hold it in my palm and look for visions of the future. The desire kept growing, in fact, as I sat there with Claude and Eric.

Claude didn't respond to my apology. "When I heard Eric's message, I immediately used the crystal to locate you and passed the information along to Eric. I agreed to meet him here as backup, but it was faster and easier to work by phone." And safer. If Eric had been conscious right now, this close to a pure fairy, the outcome for Claude wouldn't have been pretty.

"The crystal? It helped find me again?" I asked in disbelief. "Is it here with you now? Because I can feel it, Claude. It's calling to me," I said a bit entranced.

He brought the sparkling blue-white stone out of his pocket and then moved back to put some space between us. I looked at the crystal, longingly, my thoughts of Eric and his well-being put on a back burner. A moan of pain from my vampire abruptly brought me out of my trance. My addictive behavior seemed to set Claude to thinking; I could see the wheels of his fairy mind set in motion.

"Let me try something," Claude said suddenly, and he gestured me to move away from Eric.

I did so reluctantly but then watched in shock and amazement as Claude pressed the small stone against one of Eric's deep wounds. Immediately, the skin closed up and the gash was healed. He repeated the process over the many stab wounds on Eric's body, each time with the same miraculous result. Eric started stirring and his eyes fluttered open as Claude continued healing him. I rushed to be near Eric's side, but Claude warned me to keep my distance from the crystal. Given the rapid speed with which he was now working, Claude must have realized he was going to need to keep his distance from the vampire. He pressed against the last deep wound in Eric's side and then my cousin quickly retreated to a corner of the warehouse, crystal in hand.

Eric slowly sat up and looked himself over before meeting my worried eyes with his crystal-blue ones; he was confused for the moment by his surroundings and bloody condition. But then I felt joy and relief trying to work its way through the bond and when Eric smiled, I knew that my vampire had come back to me.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:** Okay, so I lied. This is NOT the last chapter after all... there will be one more after this. Don't ask... I was having a hard time putting all of the final pieces together and didn't want to keep you waiting. So here's a few thousand words to chew on while I get back to work on Ch. 14, the final chapter. The FINAL final chapter.

**Chapter 13**

"Eric!" I cried, running to embrace him as he sat in the middle of the warehouse floor. I didn't care if he blamed me, hated me, or rejected me at this point—I was just so overjoyed to see him _alive_… although I suppose 'undead' would be a better term to explain his condition.

He welcomed my embrace, pulling me closer but saying nothing to me as I sobbed in his arms with relief.

"I thought I had lost you, Eric," I sniffled, "I thought it was too late for us, … it's all my fault…"

"Shh, Sookie, don't think that," he whispered. I could feel Eric's body tense and as I looked up at him, I saw his nostrils flare. He still held me tightly as he looked around the large room, taking in the situation, assessing the damage, missing nothing. The candles were flickering low by now and darkness was settling in. But even in the dim light, his sharp eyes took in the details: the silver net, the bloody knife, the chair, the cut rope.

He caught Claude's eye in the corner and they acknowledged one another with a nod. Eric's interest then shifted to my assailant who lay heaped on the floor nearby, either unconscious or dead. Eric growled in anger and I rubbed his arms to soothe him. His attention returned to me.

"Are you hurt, Sookie? You are covered in blood," he said. He looked me over after letting go of his hold on me.

"I'm fine, Eric, really. The blood on me is yours, not mine," I told him, and I'm sure his acute sense of smell confirmed that, anyway.

"What happened? What did he do to you?" he asked sharply. His concern was evident.

"Nothing. He just tried to scare me with his knife."

It's sad that I have come to consider being tormented at knifepoint only a minor offense. But given how often I have been attacked and kidnapped these past few years, I guess my viewpoint is skewed.

"Who is he?" he asked as he stood up slowly, gathering his strength. Eric definitely seemed weaker than usual as he walked over to the kidnapper. He kicked the body over so the man's face was identifiable then bent down to look more closely. "He's still alive. _Good_," Eric said with a cold chuckle. I certainly did not envy my captor's future -- it would be a painful one.

I saw Claude edging towards a remote corner of the warehouse, adding even more distance between himself and Eric. Up until now, my cousin hadn't said anything, but I am sure he was thinking that it was about time to make an exit.

"I don't know who he is, Eric, but his thoughts focused on getting back at you, making you pay," I said. "He also mentioned you and his girlfriend Becky… is she someone from the bar?" I asked a bit bitingly.

He turned to look at me, his eyebrows raised. Just the smallest part of me questioned what Eric had to do with this other woman, but I forced myself to push irrational jealousy aside. I didn't have room, or the energy, for any more emotions right now.

"I don't know this man. Perhaps he was a customer. And Becky…" he thought for a moment. "We have a server named Rebecca who has been missing for the last week. The police questioned Pam about it a few nights ago, I believe." There was much more to this story, I was sure of that.

Eric walked over to the knife and picked it up, running his fingers across the bloody blade. He winced in pain.

"Fuck, it's silver," he cursed, quickly dropping the weapon and rubbing the burn in his fingers. His expression changed to one of confusion.

"Tell me how I was able to fully heal from silver poisoning," he demanded, looking from me to my cousin. "Did you give me your blood, Sookie?" I just stared at him, left speechless by his last question. Why hadn't I given him my blood?

Claude finally spoke up from the corner.

"No fairy blood was spilled tonight. I wrestled away your attacker and removed the silver net. But the Kailenian crystal is what saved you," my cousin said with a superior air.

"I used it to heal your wounds when it seemed like you wouldn't recover," Claude added with a smirk. He knew that Eric would detest the idea of being saved by a fairy. Of course, he would detest the idea of being saved by _anyone_, but saved by a fairy… Eric just stared wide-eyed at Claude, trying to process what he just heard.

"I did it only for Sookie… you're _important_ to her," Claude said with a hint of distaste. He didn't want Eric to assume there was any concern or affection between the two of them, since there definitely wasn't.

I was thankful that Claude had used such good judgment in a time of crisis, but I was stunned by my own stupidity. How could I have forgotten that my blood was an option to help heal Eric? Instead of slicing open my skin for my bonded, I had simply cried and bemoaned his fate, doing NOTHING. I had been so panicked by the horrible situation, by seeing Eric almost finally dead, that the idea of giving him my blood had completely slipped my mind. I obviously don't think well under pressure. But Eric might not see it that way. He was now indebted to a fairy because I didn't try to save him myself.

Eric composed himself and his face returned to its normal unreadable expression before his fangs extended. "Claude, I would greatly appreciate you bringing Sookie back home. I have some unfinished business to take care of here," and he nodded toward my crumpled captor.

I looked to Eric to gauge his emotions, but he was a blank slate. I could feel some anger through the bond, but I was unsure of who it was directed at. I walked to Eric and clung to him, trying to send and show him my love. We stayed like that for a while, neither one of us ready to let go. Encouraged by his reaction, I tilted my face up to his, hopeful for a kiss. He leaned down, softly brushed my hair aside and kissed me tenderly despite his exposed fangs.

"We have some unfinished business as well, Sookie," he said as he looked into my eyes, and I nodded.

"Are we… are we okay, then?" I asked him, afraid to hear the answer.

He sighed before responding. "We will be, lover. We will be."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"I'll come over later tonight when I am finished here," my vampire said, and it was all I could hope for.

***************

The ride back to Bon Temps was a quiet one, Claude and I clearly avoiding the topic of the crystal and what had just transpired this evening. Before we left the warehouse, I had asked him to place the stone in his car's trunk to minimize its usual addictive hold on me; he was more than happy to oblige. As we finally approached my driveway, I knew there were things I wanted to say to him before we said goodbye.

"Claude," I began. "I can't begin to thank you enough for what you did for me tonight. And for Eric. You saved our lives."

He said nothing and I wondered what he was thinking when the car came to a stop by my back door. He turned to face me, each of us practically on top of the other inside his small sports car.

"Sookie, you are my kin, and always will be, no matter how much you try to deny your fairy blood. We are a loyal race and we _always_ protect our own," he said proudly. "And you are no different in your desire to save and defend what is yours. You are _truly_ Fae."

He meant it as a compliment, as if possessiveness and protecting loved ones were exclusive 'fairy' qualities. But I could think of a vampire who possessed those very same traits, and he was most definitely NOT Fae.

"But the crystal, you used it to rescue Eric when you didn't have to, Claude. I didn't think its powers would even work on vampires."

"I may not like your vampire, Sookie; but he matters to you, so he matters to me. The crystal is useless in the hands of those without Fae blood, as history has shown. But in _my_ hands, I was able to channel its healing powers to help Eric," he said, referring to my bonded by name for the first time I could ever recall.

"I just wish I could have done more to help him," I said, still feeling guilty.

"Your blood wouldn't have saved Eric, you know," Claude said, and I was taken aback by his insight.

"When he didn't begin to heal on his own, I suspected the blade might be silver. That knife was lodged inside of him for a while before I was able to remove it," he reminded me, and I shuddered when I recalled the horrible image.

"I am so grateful, Claude, both to you and the crystal," I said, realizing yet again how complicated my feelings were concerning my birthday present. So what now? Should I let Claude keep the crystal, or should I beg and plead and fight to get it back from my cousin? Would Eric still demand that I return the stone to him?

"Speaking of the crystal," I began.

"Yes, I was wondering when we were going to get around to it," Claude said. "I hope that after what happened tonight, you understand the necessity for me to hold on to it for you. Its effects on you are extremely unpredictable. You must promise to never use the crystal again, Sookie. At least not without my help. Promise me," he said forcefully, and I nodded my agreement.

"And it is much too valuable and complex in its powers to simply be given away or destroyed. You are part fairy, Sookie—you must understand that this is a piece of the Fae world. I won't let it go," he said firmly.

There was little I could do to argue with his logic; he was completely right. I knew that despite the wonderful things the crystal could do, it was also a dangerous and destructive force. I would never be able to function normally with the crystal in my possession. I had seen enough visions to last me a lifetime, and if Eric and I did have a future together, it would have to be a crystal-free one.

"Keep it," I said as I leaned over and kissed Claude on the cheek. "Thanks for everything. I owe you, cousin. Big time," I said, and he chuckled. I opened the car door and slowly untangled myself from the passenger seat. My side was still aching and I couldn't wait to be back in my own home, far away from the crystal. I closed the door but then walked around to the driver's side. Claude's window slowly lowered and he looked at me questioningly.

"I know Eric is appreciative and thankful too for what you did tonight, even though he won't be able to admit it," I said, trying to defend Eric's vampire ways. "If you call in a favor, please go easy on him," I begged, and Claude laughed loudly.

"As a matter of fact, I already have something in mind as payback," he smiled. "And it will be a very easy favor to ask of your vampire." I was sure Eric would be _thrilled_.

Claude waved goodbye and then pulled his sports car into reverse. He was gone before I knew it.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** Here it is… my own gift to you: a long, final chapter all wrapped up with a pretty gold bow. Enjoy!

**Chapter 14**

Amelia was relieved to see me when I entered the kitchen, although a little disturbed by my bloody appearance. She had called Sam, Tara, Pam, Jason, and anyone else she could think of when she couldn't reach me by cell phone for so long. As I guessed, she had assumed I was with Eric last night, so she didn't start to really worry until this evening. I briefly told her about my latest ordeal, concluding with the miraculous healing powers of the crystal. She was stunned to say the least. When I told her about last night's Fangtasia fight with Eric, she was only slightly sympathetic to what I went through. According to what I could pick up from her head, she could understand why Eric would react the way he did and thought I deserved it. Although I didn't exactly like (or agree with) what I heard from her, being able to read human thoughts again gave me hope that things would soon return to normal.

I took some painkillers for my aching side and stood under a hot shower for I don't know how long. There was too much to think about as the water cascaded down my back and the blood washed away. Eric would be here tonight and hopefully we would come to terms with this… this situation, for lack of a better word. The fact that he was willing to see me again, to talk things over after how we left things last night, was definitely good news. We were going to be okay; Eric even said so.

I tried to think of practicalities now. I would need to get a new cell phone, as well as driver's license, credit cards, and other items since I had no idea what happened to my purse. The pepper spray I had started to carry around with me had been of no help in my latest assault, but it was probably a good idea to replace it nonetheless. I felt a pang of regret when I realized what else had been lost last night: the bullet Eric took for me in Dallas. Ridiculous, I know, to have even kept such a thing, but it held sentimental meaning to me. Sucking the bullet from Eric's shoulder had been the first time I tasted his blood, even though he had tricked me into it. More importantly, though, it was the first time he had protected me, something he would repeat on many occasions. The bullet was a reminder that when I had needed saving, Eric had been there. And tonight proved that he continued to do that for me.

I combed my hair and slipped into an oversized t-shirt, deciding to catch a few winks before Eric's arrival. I was so exhausted and drained from my nightmarish experience that I needed some rest so I could think clearly. I fell into a deeper sleep than I intended, woken some time later by a vampire whose hand was leisurely stroking my arm. I slowly opened my eyes and saw Eric sitting on my bed; I turned on my side, stretching my arm to reach his.

A small light from the corner of my room illuminated us, and I could smell almond bodywash all over him. His hair was still wet and I realized he must have used my shower tonight.

"Mmm, you're all clean… and wearing silk boxers," I remarked as I ran my hand along his chest then slowly moved my fingers lower to pull on his waistband. I was tired but not _that_ tired.

"That's so you won't be distracted by what's underneath them when we're talking," he said with a hint of teasing, and he stopped my wandering hand by placing it in his.

"Well you picked the perfect place to _talk_, Eric_—_right here in my bed," I teased back, hoping things remained light between us tonight; I didn't have the stamina to do 'serious' right now.

"I brought you something." Eric reached with his other hand to pick up my purse from the floor and set it on the bed next to me.

"Oh, Eric, thank goodness. Do you know how hard it would have been to replace all of these things?" I asked. Looking through the contents, I was relieved to see the small jewelry box I would have missed most.

"Some things can never be replaced—they're much too valuable," he said quietly. He moved to lie down next to me in the bed, placing my handbag back on the floor.

"I know," I answered back as we both lay on our sides, watching each other intently for a few minutes.

"What happened to my kidnapper, Eric? Who was he?" I finally asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

"You don't want to know what happened to him, lover. It would ruin the mood." He started playing with my hair, slowly running his fingers through the damp strands. I looked at him expectantly and he sighed.

"Richard DeNicolo, according to the driver's license I recovered from his front pocket. The blood and intestinal pieces covering the license made it hard to read too clearly, though," he added with his trademark grin. Yuck.

"I persuaded Mr. DeNicolo to be very cooperative tonight. He was the boyfriend of our missing server, Rebecca. Or ex-boyfriend, I should say. She dumped him recently for a vampire and he seemed to hold me accountable."

"Which vampire? Why would DeNicolo think it was you?" I snapped.

Eric twisted my hair tightly around his fingers and smirked as he pulled me closer to him. "Jealous, maybe?"

"No, should I be? Is there a reason a jilted lover would be hunting you and ME, Eric?" I asked a little anxiously.

"He was a lunatic, Sookie. Our bartender, Snake, was involved with the girl, and DeNicolo blamed me for hiring Rebecca in the first place. He hated vampires and would have gone after Snake next. Crazy," Eric said. I didn't say anything.

"Perhaps he was jealous of you, of our relationship, Sookie," he added, and the mood suddenly turned even more serious. What was our 'relationship' these days, anyway?

"Is this where you finally forgive me and we live happily ever after?" I asked softly.

"I'm not sure… is that what your crystal told you would happen?"

He wasn't sarcastic or bitter like he could have been, but I knew he was hurting. Still.

"No, but it's what I'm certainly hoping for—a future with you." He didn't respond to that, so I continued. "Will that happen, Eric?"

He squeezed my hand. "I don't know what will happen, Sookie, and I don't _want_ to know. But if we rely on the crystal to find out, then our future has been chosen for us. I want to make our own future, one that you and I decide on together." His words were so heartfelt that I felt even worse for having used the crystal and not having trusted him.

"I want that, too, Eric. You know that," I managed to choke out.

"Where is the crystal now?" he asked gently, and I could feel him trying to calm me through the weakened bond.

"Claude has it and he will be keeping it. Permanently." I waited for Eric's reaction.

"I don't know what Niall was thinking when he gave it to you, but it should stay with Claude," he agreed.

"Really? You're okay with that?" I asked, surprised. "Have you had a change of heart about the crystal?" I wondered.

"The crystal has more powers than I will ever understand. It was helpful tonight," he admitted, "despite all of the bad I have seen come from it."

Considering what the crystal had done to save us both, calling it 'helpful' was an understatement of epic proportions.

"Claude told me it can be used to communicate with others who have a crystal. Did you know that Niall used it that way with Gildran?" Eric sat up when I told him that.

"During his captivity? Are you certain?" he asked.

"Yes, that's what Claude said." Eric remained still, his mind revisiting some long-ago battle I suspected.

"Tell me more about the vampire/fairy war," I prodded gently, and he sighed before turning to lie on his back and stare at the ceiling. At first it didn't seem like he was going to say anything about that distant time.

"There is nothing more to say. It was one of the less glorious moments in vampire history. And I was responsible for it," he said simply.

Eric needed to know he wasn't the only one to blame. And I was finally ready to admit that my great-grandfather could be ruthless when he wanted to be.

"Maybe the Fae knew more about the vampire battle plans than you thought, Eric. Or else maybe they planted false information for Gildran to relay to you." It made sense and honestly, it was a brilliant strategy.

"I guess we will never know for sure, unless your Fairy Prince can clear that up for us," Eric said harshly. "But _I_ am the one who killed Gildran -- _I_ lost control and destroyed the only chance for the vampires to defeat the Fae."

"It's not your fault, Eric,' I said, unsure of what else I could say to comfort him. "Gildran's fairy qualities would have been impossible for any vampire to resist."

Eric turned to me, his eyes rimmed in red. "How do you think I felt when I realized you were becoming like Gildran -- becoming fairy and too intoxicating to me? All because of the damned crystal! What if I had lost control again and _killed_ you, Sookie? How would I ever get over that?"

"It will never happen, Eric, I swear." Then I kissed him hard, longing to soothe and console him, desperate to show him how much I needed him. He pulled away to look at me.

"Are you _ever_ going to touch that crystal again?" he asked, much like a parent scolding an errant child. Hadn't I already promised him this a thousand times? But I guess he still needed reassurance.

"No," I said simply.

"Then I'm okay with Claude keeping the crystal," Eric said, and I buried my head in his chest, relieved. He held me tight and kissed the top of my head.

"When I realized you were taken last night… the thought of losing you… I couldn't feel you, I couldn't find you…" Eric was struggling to find words that were unnecessary -- I knew exactly how he felt.

"That's my fault, Eric. Another effect from the crystal. I lost my telepathy and the bond was blocked, too. But it's returning again, it's healing, I can feel it," I explained.

"No, _I_ did something to make that happen, Sookie. I severed our bond, our connection. I wanted it all to end." I pulled out of his embrace.

"What?" I asked in shock. "You did that… to us?" It was like a slap to the face. I could feel a rush of tears working their way down my cheek and a wave of panic rising within me. I had no idea that I had pushed him so far. He wanted our bond gone? Could we ever go back to the way we were?

"Yes, I did that, and without the bond I was helpless to rescue you. If I hadn't reached Claude, if it wasn't for the crystal… tonight could have ended very differently for both of us."

Eric pulled me back to him, and I let him do so. As we lay tangled on my bed, I reached through the bond to him. Despite what he may have done to try and cut our ties, I could still feel him now -- his guilt, his concern, his love for me.

"What happens now, Eric? How can we repair our bond? We have to fix it," I said desperately.

It was ironic that something that was once the lesser of two evils, something that I had resented and wished away for so long, was now the very thing I longed for most.

"We must re-bond, but by your choice this time. Are you willing to do that, Sookie? To give me your blood and tie yourself to me again?"

Based on his pained look, I was sure he was questioning why I hadn't offered him a blood donation earlier tonight.

"Of course I'm willing, Eric. Take some now, please," I practically begged him, ready to thrust my wrist or any other body part at his mouth.

"No. We must do it later, in a more formal and public manner, to reverse what has been set in motion." I had no idea what that meant and he looked troubled, but there would be time later to discuss the details. Dawn was approaching now.

We quietly stayed entangled until my eyelids began to grow heavy. As I started to drift away from him, I felt Eric kiss my forehead and tuck me in before he headed home to sleep. The healing would have to come later.

**************

For the next few weeks, we took things slowly as we tried to repair the damage. My telepathy returned to me and for the first time in my life, I treasured my 'disability.' I had come to depend on it much like a sixth sense, and I realized it was part of who I was. My crystal cravings lessened and eventually disappeared altogether from lack of contact. I resumed working for Sam and tried to get back to the way my life had been before the crystal. That sounds easier than it actually was. Gran used to say that it always takes longer to mend fences than to tear them down. She was so wise about life. And love.

My bruised side began to heal but without the aid of vampire blood. Eric and I had agreed to abstain from any 'nipping' until a formal re-bonding could be arranged. We would speak on the phone most evenings, but his work was keeping him busy and away from me too often. Personally, I think Eric just needed time to come to terms with everything. It was like we both had been dangling from the edge of a rocky cliff and were pulled back at the last possible moment. It takes time to get over that.

Several days after the horrible warehouse incident, _The Shreveport Gazette_ featured an article about the gruesome discovery of a decaying body found inside Richard DeNicolo's apartment. Reports indicated that Rebecca Lindy, a server at the vampire bar Fangtasia, had been brutally stabbed, and the murder weapon had yet to be recovered. Police were still investigating the homicide and were looking for DeNicolo, the prime suspect in the case. I doubted that they would ever find him or the knife.

Claude wasted no time in calling in his favor from Eric. It wasn't too surprising to hear what my cousin had in mind as payback; he was a smart businessman, after all. He wanted Eric to be the featured stripper for an upcoming publicity event at Claude's club, Hooligan's. The show was scheduled in a month's time which gave my cousin ample opportunity to shamelessly promote what he hoped would be his most profitable show. Ever.

At first, Eric was incensed to even be indebted to a fairy, but he knew the debt he owed Claude was a great one. So, for my sake, he swallowed his pride and agreed to help out Claude. When I first heard the proposal, I couldn't stop laughing (or salivating!). The very idea of my gorgeous, self-confident vampire as a professional stripper was a stroke of marketing genius on Claude's part. What woman wouldn't pay for the chance to see Eric dance and strip down to a sexy G-string? Yum.

When Eric heard of the plan, he appeared annoyed and bothered that he had to subject himself to such a public 'spectacle.' Then he reluctantly agreed, acting as if it was something he would suffer through but not really enjoy. Ha! Even though he would never admit it, I knew the idea appealed tremendously to his BIG ego and lack of modesty. Eric would be a natural at this, I was sure.

It was one week before Eric's scheduled debut on stage and our naked bodies were entwined on my bed, a passionate lovemaking session just having exhausted us. We hadn't been intimate very often since my birthday but things were still good during the times we were. Our relationship was recovering, thankfully, but I was looking forward to the day when things would become 'great' again. Our re-bonding was just days away now, although our connection still existed to some extent. Maybe the new bond would be the final step to set things right.

Eric had unexpectedly dropped by tonight to 'model' his outfit for Claude's show. Even before I heard the doorbell ring, I could feel his nervousness. Or was it excitement? When I opened the door and saw him standing before me, I had to laugh because he reminded me of a flasher. Eric wore a long trench coat to hide his costume, and I eagerly pulled him inside while I anticipated what was hidden underneath the coat.

After we settled into my bedroom, my private preview began. Eric pulled the coat open to reveal a sexy Viking outfit better suited for porn than battle. The leather and fur ensemble was elaborate and with his hair tied back in a braid, Eric was absolute perfection. As he leisurely removed each item, he stared at me seductively and grinned. He began to slowly gyrate his body to imaginary music and by the time he worked himself down to his G-string, I thought I was going to orgasm on the spot. Eric's gracious plenty was barely contained by the scanty piece of fabric covering it. And just when I couldn't take any more, he slowly turned to shake and show off his world-class butt for my added enjoyment.

He was a natural, alright. And he proved it multiple times that evening.

So after his unforgettable strip tease and even more extraordinary aftershow, we remained on my bed, content and sated.

"What did you think, lover? Am I a perfect stripper?" he teased as we lay there. Jeez… what an ego.

"Perfect," was all I could utter. I hadn't felt this good in weeks.

"And you, my lover, are _almost_ perfect…" he teased back. When had I heard that line from him before? I looked at him and he had a mischievous grin on his face. Something was up.

"Do you mind if I use your cell phone?" he asked abruptly, getting up to retrieve my purse from across the room before I could answer him.

"What? At this time? Who do…?"

"Pam. I need to check in with her about something, and I left my cell phone in my car. No pockets," he explained, referring to his Viking get-up scattered on the floor. Of course he was naked too, another reason to not have pockets.

He rummaged through my purse and found my cell phone but not before he discovered my little bullet box. He pulled it out and looked at me questioningly.

"What's this?" he asked, and I blushed with embarrassment.

"Nothing, just something silly," I said, hoping he would let the subject drop. "Come back to bed, Eric."

"No, tell me, Sookie. It looks like a ring box," he said, obviously determined to make me admit to my foolishness. He climbed back into bed, his phone call suddenly forgotten, and he handed me the small jewelry box.

"Okay, but I'm telling you, it's silly, Eric." He nodded for me to continue. "I saved the bullet you took for me in Dallas," I said, looking to see if he thought I was crazy. He just seemed pleased.

"Why would you do that?"

"I don't know. Maybe as a reminder of how much I need you," I said and kissed him. "And so I remember how you saved me," I added before kissing him again.

"Show it to me," he urged after pulling away from my lips. I sighed and gave in to his curiosity.

When I opened the box, my heart stopped for a moment and I gasped. There lay the single bullet, but it was encircled by a perfect diamond ring, _my _perfect diamond ring. A ring that I was uncertain I would ever see again. It was as beautiful as I remembered and even more dazzling now that I wasn't blinded by the crystal and its visions.

"Oh, Eric," I murmured and looked up to meet his hopeful eyes. "Yes," was all I said, and all I needed to say.

He took the ring from the box and gently slid it on my trembling ring finger. I held up my hand for both of us to admire.

"Now you're perfect," he whispered and then kissed me.

**********

**Epilogue**

Friday, July 1, 2016 – my 38th birthday

I am putting the finishing touches on my birthday cake and getting the house ready for company. As I do every year on this date, I remember that fateful birthday ten years ago when a certain Kailenian crystal entered my life and turned it upside down. Caught under its magical influence, I came so close to losing what was most important to me, so close to losing it all.

I am an older and wiser woman now, certainly wise enough to know the dangers of messing with one's destiny. And the burning question of 'What was Niall thinking?' has been revisited enough over the years for me to have formed some definite opinions. My loved ones may not agree with my reasoning, but I still hold firm to my beliefs. Call me stubborn, if you will.

During the brief period of time when Niall was a part of my life and a part of this world, I complained that his offers of help were not of the 'practical' kind. Perhaps my great-grandfather believed that his special birthday gift to me _was_ of the practical kind -- the type of present I would want and need. Perhaps he hoped the crystal would take me to places of future happiness and past comfort, assuming that my vampire and my cousin would be willing guides along the journey. Perhaps Niall thought I would enjoy the benefits of being more fairy and less human. Perhaps he imagined the crystal could be of use to me in times of danger and uncertainty. Or perhaps he simply hoped the crystal could bridge the distance and differences between me and him -- a way to communicate between our worlds and bring us closer.

Perhaps.

I may never truly understand Niall's motivations, but I am certain in my heart that they were based on his love and concern for me. I refuse to believe that he knew of the side effects and problems and heartache the crystal could cause. He loved me too much to knowingly do that. Niall once told me he was as poor at predicting my actions and reactions as I was at predicting his. And that is certainly the truest thing ever said. Despite my Fae blood, I have yet to truly understand the workings of the fairy mind. Hell, after all these years, I'm still working to truly understand the workings of the vampire mind.

Claude remains 'keeper' of the crystal, in case we ever have need of its strange and unusual powers once more; but I doubt I will ever be that desperate again. My cousin holds on to it, also, as a reminder of his kinsmen and Faery, the world he has forever left behind. The option still remains for me to try and contact Niall with the crystal, but it is an option that I am reluctant to ever try. It took me a long time to recover from my horrific experiences with the Fae, and I still prefer the home and place I have made in my own world. Without fairies. And without magic crystals.

"Mommy, is Daddy up yet?" Addie asks, rousing me from my thoughts about magic and visions. I look at our beautiful daughter standing before me in the kitchen. To us, she is a magical vision in her own right.

"No, but he will be soon, honey," I answer her, feeling Eric's early stirrings through our enduring blood bond. I watch eagerly through the window as the sun slowly sets across my backyard landscape.

"Help me set the picnic table before your cousins get here," I suggest.

Addie happily picks up the plates and silverware, looking forward to the wonderful evening ahead. She's not the only one. I'm very excited, too, because I know how it will all play out tonight. After all, I have seen a vision of it before, once when I sat in my cousin's apartment long ago…

In just a little while, my brother and his family will arrive and, sooner or later, we will end up outside to celebrate my birthday. There will come a time when Eric brings me a glass of wine, and he will place a little brunette girl on his shoulders. There will be tickling, and laughing, and vampire kisses. And eventually, stolen time alone for the two of us. And then a different kind of kissing, and soft whispers, and blushing, and touching. And then Eric and I will make love, naked under the moonlight, in our own backyard where I am his, and he is mine.

And then after that…

Well after that, what the future holds for us remains unknown, a mystery.

And that's the way I intend to keep it.

FIN


End file.
